The Sinistra Ward and the Chamber of Secrets
by Irish216
Summary: Harry Potter, ward of Aurora Sinistra, continues on his journey at Hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

**Not Beta'ed**

"Boys let's go!" Aurora shouted from the kitchen of her flat. It was a three bedroom flat with a separate kitchen, living quarters, and two bathrooms. Of course it was magically expanded for everything to fit, as Aurora lived in a muggle section of London near Big Ben. Aurora was flipping pancakes the muggle way, they tended to be fluffier that way. She plated the pancakes and bacon as Harry skidded into the kitchen after running full tilt.

"I win!" Harry crowed as loud as he could. The scarring across his throat still affect his ability to talk loudly. He had a potion to help with the gravel tone of his voice but still it limited his vocal range, the injury had occurred to long ago for magic to do much else.

"Buggar that, ya tripped me," Wayne, Harry's best friend, said as he too ran into the kitchen.

Aurora shook her head at the two and with a faintly amused look asked, "What did I tell you about running in the house?"

Harry and Wayne tried to look contrite, "It was okay in dire circumstances?" Harry offered.

Aurora raised her eyebrow, "And what was the dire circumstances?"

"Pancakes!" Wayne said digging into his plate.

Harry looked at Aurora to gage her annoyance, she grinned, "I'll accept pancakes." Harry cracked a grin and dug into his own food.

Wayne had been staying with them for a week now. Harry, Wayne, and their other friends Susan, Izzy, and Neville had been splitting time this summer between each other's houses, though Harry was the only one to see Wayne's. Wayne unlike the other four lived in a simple one family home in a poorer district of London. Neville, Susan, and Izzy all lived in old Manor homes that had been in their families for centuries. Neville was the heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom and Susan was the heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Bones. Isobel was a member of Ancient Clan MacDougal. All three were purebloods though none of them bought into the belief that purebloods were superior to all. Harry and Wayne were both half-bloods.

Wayne's father was a wizard and his mother was a muggle, or non magical folk. Wayne's father was from working class wizarding family. He was only really comfortable with Harry seeing his home. Harry while a half-blood from a well off pureblood family, the Potters, was orphaned at the age of one. Harry's parents were both magical but his mother was a muggleborn. They fought valiantly against the Dark Wizard Voldemort but were killed one fateful Halloween night. Harry was left to his muggle relatives but they sent him to an orphanage rather than raise him. The orphanage was both kind and cruel to Harry. Harry was looked after by the Sisters who ran it but his fellow children thought him a freak. It culminated in Harry's throat being slit by an older orphan who thought Harry was possessed by the Devil. After that Harry spent a few years on the street eventually being taken in by a local hood. Harry and Wayne shared a bond over a rough life, even if Wayne's was offset by loving parents.

The summer with their friends was spent flying, learning how to duel curtsey of Aurora's father Cyril, and generally just being kids. The last part was a bit difficult when they all stayed a week at the Longbottom Manor considering Neville was a war orphan like Harry and raised by his very strict grandmother. Despite that Neville did get to take his friends to an Appleby Arrows Quidditch Game. Neville's family owned a share of the team and considering Wayne, Izzy, and Harry were all Quidditch mad, it was spectacular.

Quidditch was the premier wizarding sport being played by teams of seven. Each team consisted of three chasers who took care of the Quaffle and scored ten points for every goal. Two beaters whose job it was to keep the chasers clear of bludgers and disrupt the other team. A keeper whose job it was to guard three hoops and lastly a seeker who was to try and catch a golden snitch for 150 extra points. Wayne and Harry had spent the year training to try out for the Hufflepuff, their Hogwarts' House, Quidditch team. Harry had grown three inches and put on a bit of muscle whereas Wayne was as bulky as ever but an inch shorter than Harry. Wayne was the type of beater that favored pure power and Harry power and pinpoint accuracy. After spending the summer playing and drilling with Iz, Susan, and Neville they were in good shape to make the Hufflepuff team.

"Alright boys," Aurora said as they finished eating. "We have to meet the others at the Alley in twenty minutes." They had received their second year Hogwarts letters two days ago and planned to meet the others at Diagon Alley today. "And then we have Wayne's party at six o'clock." She smiled widely at the grinning boy whose teeth were slightly crooked. Wayne gave fist pump.

"Happy birthday mate," Harry said clapping him on the back.

"Finally!" Wayne said. He was one of the youngest in their year his birthday being August twenty-eighth.

"Don't rush your birthday," Aurora said, "One day you'll be glad to be younger." She said as only a woman can. "Your parents are meeting us at the Leaky tonight right?"

"Yeah aft'r work." Wayne nodded.

"Good. They gave you money for supplies?" Wayne nodded as he and Harry put on their cloaks. Both boys were in jeans and Falmouth Falcon t-shirts. Wayne's parents had gotten tickets to the game tonight against Puddlemere United. Wayne could only bring one friend though and the others understood when he chose Harry. Harry's robe was dark grey to match his shirt while Wayne had on a Falmouth cloak.

"Are we ready?" Aurora asked the two boys checking them over. She had grown into the mothering role rather quickly despite her youth. Aurora was a young professor not yet into her thirties yet magic had seen fit to make her Harry's guardian last year. Throughout the last year Aurora and her ward had grown as close as if she had raised him all those years. They had survived a year at Hogwarts with two odious professors, one which had Voldemort living in the back of his head and become all the more closer after an attempt on Harry's life. Aurora could not imagine anything happening to Harry and wished to shield him from suffering.

"Right Wayne have you used the floo before?"

"Yep." Wayne nodded and took a handful of silvery powder out of a pouch on the mantle of Aurora's fireplace. Wayne tossed the powder in the fireplace and it flared up with green flames. "Kinda like the feeling." He grinned and stepped in, "The Leaky Cauldron!" With a swirl of green Wayne disappeared from view.

"He likes it?" Harry said quietly shaking his head. "He's nuts."

"Alright Harry you're up." Aurora grinned.

Harry threw the powder in, "LeekyCuldon." The words blurred together as he grimaced preparing himself for the horrible swirling sensation.

"Oh Shite." Aurora cursed as he disappeared, that was not clearly stated.

* * *

Harry shot out of a fire place and fell face first into a large black cabinet with silver fastenings. He looked around and found himself and dark and dank shop. Everywhere he looked were different objects, some daggers, potion ingredients, jewelry, furniture, shrunken heads and other body parts. Harry stepped forward and looked around stopping to examine a shriveled hand that's tag read, "Gives light to only the holder." Harry moved on to an ornate but slightly gaudy necklace, this tag read, "Killed thirteen muggles." Harry was seized with the realization that he should not be here just as the bell for the shop door went off.

Harry ducked into the cabinet from earlier just as two blond heads came into view. Harry breathed a sigh of relief that he was able to hide. One of the blond heads belong to a smarmy classmate of his, Draco Malfoy. Draco was everything traditional pureblood elitists loved; rich, snobby, arrogant, and cruel. Last year Draco had sabotaged Harry and Wayne's potion causing the two boys to inhale toxic fumes. The second blond could only be Draco's father given the resemblance. The man was tall, with pointed pale features, that matched Draco's and he had the same pale blond hair. The man's hair was long and straight and perfectly kept to a standard that equaled his arrogant air.

Draco moved to touch the ornate necklace Harry had looked at earlier but was stopped by his father. His father struck his hand with his walking stick handle that was shaped like a striking snake head. "Don't touch anything, Draco. Especially that." Mr. Malfoy's voice was silky smooth with a touch of sharpness to it. Mr. Malfoy pointed to the tag with his cane.

"Thirteen muggles,' Draco read with a laugh. Mr. Malfoy gave a sinister smirk.

"Mr. Malfoy and young Mr. Malfoy to what do I owe the pleasure," a simpering sleazy voice said out of Harry's view.

"Borgin." Mr. Malfoy said in greeting. "I'm selling today." With that Draco stepped forward and shifted a small chest he was carrying forward. Draco set it on the counter and Harry heard it open.

"Very nice, very nice." Borgin said. Some things hit the counter top.

"Yes but they would prove troublesome should the ministry decide to come knocking." Mr. Malfoy said with a sneer in his voice.

"Ministry raids; bad for upstanding gentleman like yourself but great for my business," Borgin replied.

"Yes," Harry could once again hear the sneer in Mr. Malfoy's voice. Harry heard the exchange of coins and hoped that meant the Malfoy's would be leaving so he could get out of there. Harry backed up a little as Draco came closer to the cabinet.

"Come, Draco." Mr. Malfoy snapped. As Draco went to touch the cabinet. Draco turned on his heel and left the store.

Harry waited for a few minutes before slipping out of the cabinet. He looked around the shop once more before darting out of the store and into a rundown alley. It looked like Diagon Alley but none of the shops were familiar to Harry. Harry quickly reverted to his old street persona and kept his head down not making eye contact with anyone, particular the one women he thought might be a Hag. He moved quickly through the alley and made his way to the entrance. The sign pointed to Diagon Alley and Harry quickly went through the narrow passage and sighed in relief when he recognized Gringotts towering across the way.

"Harry!" He heard Susan's voice shout. She and her aunt were standing on bank steps. Susan waved at him. Harry groaned as people turned to look at him and put his head down making a b-line for them. Harry ignored the stares he got from people and focused on the two women in front of him. Susan looked like she grew a little in more than ways than one, Harry noticed and blushed. He quickly averted his eyes to Madam Bones.

"Hey Susan, ma'am."

"Harry we were worried about you," Susan pulled him into a hug. As she spoke Madam Bones sent up red sparks with her wand. The agreed upon signal if anyone found him. Harry looked at it with interest.

"Where did you end up?"

"Knockturn Alley." Harry replied.

Madam Bones looked at him sharply, "Are you okay?"

"Yes ma'am." He thought for a moment and then added, "The Malfoys were in Borgin and Burkes." he had looked at the name when he left. Madam Bones frowned and nodded.

"Harry!" He heard the relieved tone of Aurora from behind him. He turned and she grabbed him in a hug. Harry returned it.

Wayne snickered, "The Great Harry Potter can't floo." Harry just shrugged.

"Oh shut up Wayne," Izzy said from beside him. She elbowed him in the stomach. It looked a little comical as Izzy hadn't grown at all and Wayne had just gotten bulkier and a bit taller. Harry though had shot up a few inches over Wayne. Both of their growth spurts would serve them well for try outs. "Hi Harry!" Izzy pulled him into a hug that seemed like it belonged to someone three times her size.

"Hey mate." Neville said as he and his grandmother arrived. Harry nodded to Neville grinning.

"Mate," Harry nodded before giving Madam Longbottom a nod. After meeting her Harry understood Neville a bit better. Dowager Longbottom would scare Sal's boss, especially the vulture hat, though she had forgone it today.

"Right who needs to go to the bank?" Aurora asked once everyone had greeted each other.

Madam Longbottom nodded and Izzy raised her hand like they were in class, "I'll take Miss MacDougal down to her vault," the dowager said with her usual commanding tone. Izzy looked just slightly worried but shrugged it off. The three left to go into the bank leaving Madam Bones, Susan, Wayne, Harry, and Aurora outside.

"Harry how are your dueling lessons going?" Madam Bones asked him.

"Good, Grandfather really knows his stuff. I already learned the two shield spells, stinging hex, and the disorienting curse."

"What shield spell did you learn besides _Protego_ ," Susan asked. She too was getting tutored by her aunt over the summer. Last year's incident was fresh in everyone's mind. Wayne and Neville often joined Harry with his tutoring and Izzy joined Susan.

" _Scutum_ shield," Harry said and Madam Bones' eyes went wide.

"Really?"

Wayne piped in, "Harry's the only one who's gotten it to work. Same with the disorienting curse."

"You're not recruiting my son until he's at least sixteen," Aurora said in an amused but serious tone. Madam Bones simply nodded still looking impressed. Harry looked a bit stunned at the turn of the conversation.

"We're done," Madam Longbottom announced from behind the group. "Where to first?"

"I believe we should head to Ollivander's and then work our way back," Madam Bones said. Madam Bones and Aurora had worked tirelessly this summer convincing Dowager Longbottom that Neville needed his own wand not his fathers. They had finally convinced her when Neville used Wayne's wand and accomplished the _Protego_ charm.

"That's sound plan." Madam Longbottom nodded. She set off leading the pack with the students filling in behind her and Madam Bones and Aurora taking up the rear.

They made it to Ollivander's with minimal interruptions though one man did stop them and bow to Harry. Harry forced himself not to make a snarky comment while Aurora rushed the man on his way. The troop filed into the wand shop and Izzy, Wayne, Susan, and Harry were taken back to last year.

"Mr. Longbottom, I've been waiting for you," The wispy voice of Ollivander said from behind a shelf. Everyone jumped and Ollivander's eyes went to Harry. He smiled faintly when he saw the wand in Mr. Potter's hand and not a knife. Harry saw the look and gave the man a shrug. Mr. Ollivander let out a short laugh.

Neville had his wand out and Mr. Ollivander swept over, "Your father's wand. Beech with a Welsh Green dragon heart string, 11 and ¼ inches. Your mother favored Ebony with a Chinese Fireball heart string, ten and ½ inches. Both very good for combat magic." Ollivander was moving to gather boxes from the shelves. He pulled down three and set them on the counter waving Neville over. "You I suspect are meant for something different." He gave Neville a wistful smile. Neville nodded, he was frequently reminded that he was not his father.

"This one first ash and unicorn hair." Neville picked it up and a shelf exploded. Neville looked shocked while the others snickered.

"Nev, we," He nodded to Aurora, "were in here for an hour," Harry said when he noticed his friend's discouraged look. Neville nodded and picked up the next wand which was cypress and dragon heart string.

"No, no." Ollivander took the wand back and gave Neville a light colored wand. Neville frowned when he held it and Ollivander snatched it back. It took two more tries before Ollivander got that same look in his eyes that Harry recognized when Ollivander picked out his wand. "Try this one," Ollivander left and reappeared with a box. "I don't give many of these out. Very rare. Cherry and unicorn hair, 13 inches long." The wand was interesting a two toned colored wand with a vine like handle. Neville gripped it and a large smile spread across his face and he was filled with warmth. "Well give it a wave." Ollivander prompted. Neville waved it and a shower of green and yellow sparks came out of it. "Wonderfull." Ollivander clapped his hands. "Seven galleons."

Their next stop was at the robe Madam Malkin's robe shop. Susan, Harry and Wayne needed new robes. Madam Malkin offered to buy back their gently used ones from the previous year for reduced price and arrangements were made to ship them to her. Next up was next door at Flourish & Blotts Book store.

The shop was packed well outside the actual store and the group fought through the crowd to the front. Aurora groaned when she a sign that had a picture of handsome wizard smiling and winking at everyone. "Today only Gilderoy Lockhart signing his new autobiography, _Magical Me_!"

"You have got to be kidding me not that hack." Aurora said causing some of the witches around them to scowl at her. Aurora glared back.

Madam Longbottom surprised them all and laughed at the situation, "Madam Bones and I will get the books. You take the children to Quality Quidditch Supplies for a bit." Neville looked at his grandmother in shock but quickly moved off with the others. Madam Bones and Madam Longbottom steeled themselves and then made their way through the ravenous crowd of witches.

The kids poured into the Quidditch shop and went straight to the new broom that was displayed in the window. It was a Nimbus 2001, the fastest broom on the market. It had gleaming polished black wooden aerodynamic shaft with black, silver, and green tipped twigs. The twigs were perfectly aligned and shaped for flow. The foot braces were a light metal and slightly more curved than the Nimbus 2000, which was what Harry had.

"It was definitely made by a Slytherin. Look at those colors," Izzy said with a groan. "It's faster than the Nimbus 2000."

"Yeah but only by a little," Harry defended his Nimbus 2000. It was a Christmas present from Aurora's parents. Harry treated it more like a baby then a broom. He was nearly perfect in the air on it.

"Says the one with a Nimbus 2000," Wayne added. He had an old Comet 260, it was good broom but not nearly as fast as the Nimbus.

"How much is it?" Susan asked.

"150 galleons." Harry whistled.

"And that's the end of that pipe dream," Wayne said and moved on to look at beater equipment. Harry went with him and they debated which was better for beaters Ironbelly hide or Ridgeback hide. They settled on ridgeback hide as it was lighter and as beaters they were causing the damage not taking it, most of the time.

Susan and Izzy who had been listening with half an ear nodded to each other. Izzy grabbed the beater gloves, which really only protected the knuckles. And Susan grabbed the forearm guards. They snuck them to Aurora along with the money for them and Aurora bought them and quickly shrunk them so that Wayne would remain oblivious.

Izzy came up to the boys who were looking at Falmouth gear. Harry looked at Izzy and gave a slight nod to Wayne. Izzy smirked, "So you know Falmouth's going to get crushed by the United tonight." Susan groaned as Wayne turned on Izzy.

"Oh please we crushed the Harpies, Puddlemere will be next and then Portree!" Harry snickered as Wayne and Izzy descended into an argument about Falmouth's chances tonight. Harry took off with a Falmouth robe jersey and gave it to Aurora. The lively discussion provided Neville with cover to get his friend a pair of shin guards for Quidditch.

It was still going on when an amused Madam Bones and Madam Longbottom came in to get them. "What are you two grinning about?" Aurora asked.

"Lucius Malfoy and Arthur Weasley got in a muggle fist fight and ruined Lockhart's signing.

"Seriously," Izzy said stopping mid word. She started laughing at the thought blood purist Malfoy in a muggle fight.

"I assume Lucius tried to have you arrest Arthur?" Aurora asked.

"Oh he tried but then I told him I would have to arrest him too." Madam Bones grinned. "He shut up fairly quickly and stormed out with his son."

"What were they fighting over?" Neville asked with some interest. Ron Weasley was his dorm mate at Hogwarts.

"One of the Weasley boy's friends is a muggleborn. Thomas?" Madam Longbottom answered.

"Dean, he's an alright bloke." Neville said. Ron was a bit of a prat and Seamus was a hot head. Dean was artist who was obsessed with football and a friend of Ron and Seamus but he treated Neville better than most Gryffindors. His house considered him little better than a squib, he was hoping to prove them wrong with his tutoring over the summer and his new wand. He ran his hand over his wrist where his new wand was strapped.

"Oh and Gilderoy Lockhart is the new Defense Professor."

"What!" Aurora shouted

"He just announced it."

"What in the name of Hades was Minerva thinking!" Aurora said before she stop herself. The five students looked wide-eyed at their Professor. Madam Longbottom glared at her and Aurora winced. "Right pretend you didn't hear that. Please."

"Here are your books. They handed over five sets of shrunken books. They needed a whole new set of books for Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Horrible as that was, it got worse, they were all Lockhart books. The man's books were supposed to be on his exploits defeating magical creatures and dark wizards but instead read as the tales of a megalomaniac, at least according to Aurora. Harry had yet to read the actual books since Aurora had thrown the only one she had into a fire as soon as she finished reading it.

"Good that just leaves Scrivenshafts and the Sluggs & Jiggers." Aurora said. The trip to the Scrivenshafts was easy and painless. Sluggs & Jiggers featured some rather horrible potions ingredients that they needed to stock up on. All five students were excited to see how Professor Slughorn would conduct Potions class. Their former teacher was fired for verbally abusive behavior and favoritism. Slughorn according to Madam Bones did favor certain students but was still a fair man and one of the best potion masters in the country.

The made their way back to the Leaky Cauldron. They were met by the MacDougal ma and pa who were busy with their elder son who left to join Gringotts Russian Branch today. Talking to the MacDougals were the Hopkins, Wayne's parents.

"Happy Birthday son!" Wayne's father Timothy scooped him up in a big bear hug. Timothy was a massive man who worked in magical construction. His mum, Hannah was much smaller and a muggle. Wayne's mum pulled him into a hug also.

"We got the room," Hannah Hopkins said with a grin. They rented a private room for Wayne's birthday party. They led the way to a room where a spread of English favorites was waiting for them. And much to the approval of the five kids Butterbeer. A massive chocolate cake was waiting on the side of table. Aurora went over to it and put the wrapped presents on it unshrinking them. Wayne looked at her confused.

"What you thought we wouldn't get you presents?" Harry asked.

"I've been with you for a week." Wayne replied. Harry just shrugged while the others laughed.

"Dig in!" Timothy said. The kids dug into fish and chips and Shepard's Pie.

"Why don't you like Lockhart?" Susan asked Aurora in the middle of the meal. Everyone stopped to listen.

"Most people that like him have never met him," Aurora started off with. "I had the misfortune of being setup on a blind date with the man." She frowned at the thought and shivered slightly. Harry observed her reaction with a bit of alarm, his dislike for the man he had yet to meet was growing. "He talked of nothing but himself and his award winning smile for an entire hour before I got sick of it and left." Harry's eyes narrowed, he did not like the thought of Aurora being upset. He resolved to get with the Weasley twins when they got back to Hogwarts.

After the talk of Lockhart died down, Madam Bones had shared her own stories of the insufferable man, the cake was brought over. It was decorated like a bludger and Wayne grinned at it. They sang Happy Birthday to him and he blew out all twelve candles in one go. Harry had learned that birthday wishes took on new meaning in the wizarding world and found himself wondering what his friend wished for. They cut into the cake which had a strawberry filling, it made it look like the bludger had taken a piece out of someone. The cake was given rave reviews and then it was time Wayne was waiting for, presents.

"Mine first!" Isobel shouted and ran over grabbing her present and giving it to Wayne everyone laughed. Wayne tore into the packaging, "Robin Hood, pads!" Wayne did not have any beater gear. Susan and Neville went next completing the set of pads. Then the MacDougals gave him a collection of wizarding sweets, it probably had over ten pounds of candy in it. Hannah Hopkins stifled a groan while Wayne grinned from ear to ear. Aurora's present came next she got Wayne a book on more advanced Astronomy as Wayne had shown an aptitude for the subject. Amelia got Wayne a dragon hide wand holster. Harry grabbed Wayne's present and let out a very manly, not really, shriek of delight that left everyone laughing.

"That never leaves this room," Wayne said getting up and switching off his robe for the jersey Harry had gotten him. The jersey was Thad Warrington's, the Falmouth beater and captain.

The party/dinner wound down after the presents and soon only Wayne, Harry, Aurora and Wayne's parents were left. The two boys were nearly bouncing in place as they waited to go to their first professional Quidditch match. Aurora smiled at the Hopkins and they shared a laugh. "Alright I take it you two want to leave?" The boys nodded in sync with each other. Aurora came over to Harry and kissed his forehead. "Have fun and be good for Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins okay?" Harry gave her an innocent grin. She hugged him once more, "I'll see you at Hogwarts. Harry was staying with the Hopkins for the next two days before Hogwarts would start.

They left the private room and went to the floo where Aurora left first. This left Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins and the boys. "You boys ready?" Mr. Hopkins asked. They walked outside where the Hopkins car was parked.

"Yes, bloody hell yes," Wayne shouted.

"Language," Mrs. Hopkins reprimanded her son. She then kissed his forehead and gave her husband a kiss. "I'll see you three at home." She got in the car and as the boys waved her off. They moved into the alley next to the Leaky Cauldron where Mr. Hopkins pulled out a toy whistle from his pocket.

"That's a portkey?" Harry asked.

"Right I forgot you've never used a portkey," Mr. Hopkins said with a chuckle at Harry's bewildered look. "A portkey can be anything usually it's something plain so that a muggle won't pick it up by accident. It's similar to flooing. You grab hold and it will transport us there and it's about as pleasant as flooing too."

Harry groaned, "Why can't we just fly there?"

"It would take too long. Now grab hold." They all grabbed the whistle and Mr. Hopkins activated it, "Falmouth." They disappeared in a swirl of blue.

Harry slammed into the ground with a thud and rolled over looking up at the sky. "I officially hate this the most!" Harry said as he noticed Wayne on the ground next to him. Wayne had managed to land on his feet this time but almost fell over and was on his hands and knees. Mr. Hopkins was standing above them and offered a hand to both of them. They hopped up and got into line with the rest of the fans. Harry was happy to notice he wasn't the only having trouble with the landing.

Harry and Wayne followed Timothy's giant form through the crowds to the ticket booth. He handed over the three tickets and the boys' hands were marked with rune, which would allow them back in if they left the stadium. Timothy looked back at them to make sure they were following and not getting lost with all their stopping to marvel at the stadium and vendors around them. "See anything you want boys?"

"Can I get a poster da?" Wayne asked. Mr. Hopkins nodded. They moved over to a vender selling moving posters of the two teams. Harry was interested in a poster that showed the Warrington knocking out an opposing chaser with a bludger that knocked the player of his broom. Harry purchased his poster and was taking it from the man when he was violently shoved.

"Out of my way Potter." The sharp voice of Draco Malfoy said.

Harry rolled his eyes, "You bumped into me arsewipe." Harry turned and went face to face with the annoying boy. He was pleased to see he was taller than Draco and a bit broader.

"Now boys play nicely." The smooth tone of Mr. Malfoy came from behind Draco. Harry's eyes moved to the tall man who was dressed in immaculate robes. Mr. Malfoy held his hand out to Harry. Harry reluctantly shook it, "Lucius Malfoy, Mr. Potter." He introduced himself. Harry just nodded. Lucius pulled him close and used his cane to brush away the black haired boy's hair so that his scar was visible. "Forgive but your scar is legendary. As is the man who gave it to you."

"Really," Harry said smirking, "I didn't know you knew any muggle boys." Lucius sneered at him and was about to say something but Timothy came over.

"Release him Malfoy or do you want another fight on your hands," Timothy folded his arms over his chest causing them to bulge. His wand was in his right hand. Mr. Malfoy released Harry and Harry just kept smirking at the man and than at Draco.

"Now you're a Puddlemere fan?" Wayne asked Draco with a sneer. "Last year you were a Ballycastle fan." Last year Ballycastle had lost the cup to Puddlemere. Draco flushed with anger.

"Come on boys we need to get to our seats," Mr. Hopkins said putting his hands on Harry and Wayne's shoulders leading them away. He was willing to be the bigger man and walk away from the Malfoys something that just served to irritate the two pale blonds.

Their seats were near the top of the stadium above the goal posts. Not the best seats but definitely not the worst. Music was playing throughout the stadium as the teams warmed up. Mr. Hopkins produced a pair binocular looking things and at Harry's look explained, "These are Omnioculars. Not the fanciest pair but they'll do for ya. Here try 'em." He gave them to Harry and he put them to his eyes. He was surprised when words appeared explaining the warm up routine and shots that the players were taking. Then they slowed the seeker down who was practicing dives.

"Cool," Harry said with a grin and handed them over to Wayne. The players went into the locker room and the referee came out to the pitch.

"Butterbeer! Pumpkin Juice! Lagers!" A vendor shouted nearby.

Mr. Hopkins raised his hand, "Three Butterbeers!" The drinks were passed over and the sickles were exchanged.

"Merlin I can't wait fer Hogsmeade trips next year," Wayne said as he downed some of his butterbeer.

"Yeah there's only so much pumpkin juice one can take," Harry.

Timothy let out a laugh, "You boys are only in your second year and it hasn't started yet." He clapped them on the back good naturedly, but Harry still spilt some of his butterbeer. He snickered as Wayne got the form on his nose. Suddenly the music cutoff before starting up again with just drums.

"The Falcons!" Wayne shouted as their anthem started. Wayne belted it out while Harry just jeered.

The announcer started up, "Here are the visiting Falcons!" Boos and cheers went around the stadium. "Led by their captain and beater extraordinar Thad WARRRINGTON!" He dragged the name off. "And you've got Smith, Ellis, Knight, MacClellan, Murdoch, and the seeker Tommy Payne!" Harry and Wayne were jumping up and down cheering and swapping the omnioculars back and forth. The home team was next and the Puddlemere anthem was taken up around the stadium. The Hopkins and Harry made their boos heard with the rest of the Falmouth fans. "And hear are your Blue Devils! Led by Captain and chaser Robbie STERRRR-LING!" He dragged Sterling's name out to the applause of the Puddlemere fans. "Followed by your two wingers, Chase MacKenna and Missy Lister! The fantastic beater duo of Philberg Somerset and Xander Adeane. The staunch and stalwart keeper Ichabod Humberston and your seeker Sun Xu!"

The Puddlemere fans were rabid and singing their anthem once again as the players finished. The Falmouth fans started their own anthem which was a bit more colorful. Harry and Wayne grinned as they sang "Break their faces," crooning the last words.

"Your referee Shay Cork calls for the captains. They shake hands and mount their brooms. The Snitch is released and the Quaffle's up!" He shouted. "And it's taken by Sterling! But he's hit immediately by a bludger and the Quaffle drops down to Murdoch!" The game moved fast, faster than any Hogwarts game Harry had seen. It was hard to believe for the black haired boy that the game could go faster but it did. The announcer resorted to just calling out the last names of the players as they tossed the Quaffle around the pitch.

"It's MacKenna for Puddlemere to Lister. Lister's hit by Warrington's bludger. And picked up by Murdoch. Murdoch takes it down the pitch; passes to Knight. Knight shoots and scores! Falmouth is goes up 10-0!"

"Humberston throws to MacKenna, MacKenna to Lister. Lister uses a sloth roll to beat a bludger. Lister to Sterling and Sterling punches it towards the goals. 10-10 Tied up." The game continued in similar fashion the two teams rather evenly matched which was good news for Falmouth.

"And that's a penalty by Knight who elbowed Sterling in the nose. Sterling takes the penalty and it's past MacClellan! 150-110 Puddlemere." That was the sixth penalty on Falmouth where as Puddlemere was at one. The game had been going on for an hour with only one Snitch run so far. Harry could barely track the snitch with the Omnioculars, he could not imagine being on the pitch and trying to catch the speeding golden bullet.

"Oh and that one hurt! Lister takes a Bludger to the square of her back. The Quaffle drops to Smith who takes it down the pitch." Smith raced down the pitch with the Quaffle and passed to Knight then Murdoch and then back to Knight who dropped the Quaffle down to Smith. Smith fired a shot and it streaked into the right goal. "150-120!"

The seekers both shot towards the middle of the pitch and Harry who had the omnioculars could see the snitch hovering before it dropped down and shot to the left. "Wayne the Snitch!" He shoved the omnioculars to Wayne as the announced caught the action.

"Xu and Payne are battling it out for the Snitch!" Xu and Payne speed around the stadium on their Nimbus 2001's going faster than the other players. They zigzagged in and around their own teammates and opposing players twice causing collisions. Payne banked a turn stretched out his hand and swiped at the snitch. "Payne has the Snitch! Payne catches the Snitch! Falmouth beats the reigning champs!" Harry and Wayne were jumping up and down shouting. Mr. Hopkins was shouting himself hoarse. The victory made all the sweeter by the fact that Malfoy was supporting Puddlemere.

* * *

"Wha's that?" Harry sat up, "Ahh!" His yell woke Wayne who woke up. Wayne added his own yell to the mix. Standing on Wayne's bed was brownish green creature with bat like ears and tennis ball sized wide eyes. It was a house elf. A house elf that Harry had never seen before. Harry and Wayne scrambled out of bed, Harry grabbed for his wand.

"No the Great Harry Potter need not be scared of Dobby," The house elf said bouncing slightly on his toes.

"What do you want then?" Harry asked still holding his wand.

"Dobby has come to warn the Great Harry Potter, who triumphed over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

"Warn me about what?" Wayne was nodding along with Harry's words.

"Harry Potter must not return to Hogwarts this year!"

"What! Why not?" Wayne asked.

"Great danger waits at Hogwarts. Terrible plots abound." A stomp was heard from the hallway. The elf vanished with a pop just as the door to Wayne's room flew open.

"What's going on in here?" Wayne's dad said looking at the two boys. Harry with his wand out and Wayne in a fighting stance.

Both boys looked confused and glanced at each other before Wayne shrugged, "A house elf was just in here."

Wayne's dad looked shocked and very eloquently said, "Uh? A house elf?"

"He disappeared when he heard you. He said Harry can't go back to Hogwarts. That terrible plots are happening."

"Did he say anything else?" The boys shook their heads. Mr. Hopkins looked confused and bewildered. He ran his hand over his face and into his hair. "Go back to sleep there's nothing we can do. I'll let Aurora know tomorrow before we leave for the train." The boys nodded and got back in bed. They shared a look before shrugging and shutting off the light.

The next morning the boys were woken just as suddenly by Mrs. Hopkins, "Boys get up! You have to eat before you leave!" She yelled through the door and banged on it a couple times. The boys rolled out of bed.

Wayne looked at Harry laughed, "You should totally leave your hair like that." Harry's unmanageable hair was even worse this morning. It was standing up completely just on the right side of his head. Harry checked Wayne's mirror, which thankfully did not talk to him, and chuckled.

"Izzy would go spare." Harry mumbled sleepily. The boys dressed in their school pants, t-shirts, and sneakers. It would make it easy when they had to change if they had their slacks on already. Harry managed to fix his hair to a more appropriate mess while Wayne's was easily tamed. "Lucky bugger." Harry muttered and gave Wayne a playful shove. Wayne shoved back and then ran to the kitchen. Harry hot on his heels pulled up when he saw the Hopkins Ma and Pop. "Sorry ma'am, sir." Harry said innocently.

They laughed, "No need to apologize Harry," Mr. Hopkins laughed.

"Let's eat boys." The Hopkins had eggs and bacon and orange juice instead of pumpkin juice. "Now we already talked to Aurora about your little visitor," She said in between bites.

"She asked if you guys were able to find out who his master was?" Mr. Hopkins asked. The boys shook their heads. "Well she said she will tell Minerva but there is not much we can do on so little. Now it could be prank or just something the house elf misunderstood. I think it best if you put it out of your heads, yes?"

Harry shrugged and Wayne spoke, "Sure da."

When they finished eating the boys finished packing up their trunks and grabbed their brooms and placed them by the door. Mrs. Hopkins came over to them with a piece of paper and a pen. "Alright wands?" She asked and Wayne blushed and glanced at Harry who was looking at him with a questioning look.

"I may have forgotten mine last year." Wayne mumbled causing Harry to laugh. Mrs. Hopkins grinned at the boys.

"Underwear?" both boys nodded. "Socks?" Another check. "Books, yes even the Lockhart ones."

"Check."

"Brooms," She muttered mostly to herself since she could see them. "Toothbrush?" Wayne preferred the muggle way to brush his teeth as did Harry. The list continued finally ending with, "Quills not pens?"

"Yes ma'am," Wayne and Harry both gave her military salutes. She chuckled and pulled them both into hugs. Wayne's was longer and she started tearing up a bit. "Oh ma' I'll be fine and home fer Christmas."

"I know I'll just miss you." She hugged him once more under the amused eye of her husband.

"Honey they need to go." Mr. Hopkins said with a reassuring tone.

"Oh alright." She said with releasing Wayne. She gave Harry another hug as well.

"Boys I'm going to put a feather light charm on your trunks so remember to look like they're heavy." He tapped their trunks with their wands. He then conjured two towels and wrapped their brooms in it. He took them out to the car and loaded them up in the boot. The boys got into the modest sedan and the Mr. Hopkins took them off to King's Cross Station.

"Man I wish we had muggle radio at Hogwarts," Wayne said as they got out of the car. They got their trunks and brooms on trolleys and started making their way to the hidden platform nine and three quarters. There were many Hogwarts students making their way to the platform. They could pick them out due to owls and toads for pets.

"Through the barrier boys," Mr. Hopkins said he stood with Harry and held onto his cart. Harry had not used the entrance last year. "Ready Harry?" Harry nodded and they took off at a brisk pace and went right though the brick wall between platforms nine and ten. Wayne came right along behind them. The gleaming red Hogwarts train was waiting for them.

 **A/N:**

 **Not beta'ed yet but I do have a beta who is working on the other chapters. Also Si Vis is not abandoned or discontinued. I'm working on the next chapter of Si Vis now but it's slow, I'm dealing with a bit of writers block and trying not to rush through it.**

 **Thanks enjoy**

 **AM**


	2. Chapter 2

**Not Beta'ed yet**

Harry and Wayne went to the last car of the train and settled into a compartment in the middle of it. Wayne took out some exploding snap cards for them to play while they waited for the others to arrive. There were only a few other students on the train but more and more were showing up as the minutes ticked down. Susan was the next to arrive followed shortly by Isobel. The time ticked down but still Neville had not shown up.

"So what do you think he forgot?" Wayne asked and then flinched away as his cards blew up.

There was some coughing from the smoke but the other three all spoke at once, "Trevor!" Laughter followed the exclamation.

"I think he needs to just own up and let the pour toad go." As the minutes ticked down to eleven they moved to look out the windows keeping an eye on the platform for their wayward friend. Finally at ten minutes till Neville and his grandmother appeared. Madam Longbottom looked rather exasperated while Neville was indeed clutching his toad. He took his trunk down to storage and they lost sight of him.

Neville appeared at the compartment door a few minutes later, "Sorry guys Trevor." He was cut off by their grins.

"Got away," They said.

Neville grinned sheepishly, "Yeah."

"Nev, I think it's time to let Trevor go find his own home," Susan said as nicely as possible.

Neville looked at the toad in his hands who croaked at Susan's words. Neville flopped down into one of the seats. "I'll take him down to the Black Lake when we get to Hogwarts. I'm starting to think Uncle Algie just got him from a pond on our property."

"Probably," Wayne said and Iz kicked him to shut up. "What?" Wayne complained. Neville cracked a grin and Wayne gave him a wink.

"Boys." Isobel said under breath. Neville put Trevor down in a carrying case and they went back to their exploding snap game. A few minutes went by and the train started moving just as a redheaded family of five kids made it on to the last compartment. The family moved through the car with the two burliest stopping at Harry and his friends' compartment.

"Hiya Harrykins." One of the twins said.

"You look smashing," The other said.

Harry grinned, "Gred, Forge almost miss the train there?" Fred and George were the twin beaters of Gryffindor and close friends of Harrys. Most of the pranks pulled at the castle last year involved the three of them. For some reason Fred and George took Harry under their wings when it came to pranking. Harry had the idea that their mutual hatred of their former Professor Snape had something to do with it.

"Well you see,"

"Percy here couldn't find his,"

"Prefect badge," George finished or at least the twin with the G on his shirt finished. Percy was taller than Fred and George and scowled down at them.

"Yes, I wonder why that was," He moved so that his Prefect badge showed. Those in the compartment and the two youngest Weasleys fought not to laugh. The badge did not say Prefect but Pee-fect. Percy walked off imperiously and everyone broke out laughing. The twins smiled mischievously winked and left the compartment.

"Hey Ron," Neville greeted the other brother who was built more like Percy. He was taller than both Harry and Wayne.

"Neville," He said with a nod. "Harry, Wayne. Good summers?" Ron just sort of blushed at the two girls. At Harry's name the red headed girl with them blushed and looked at Harry quickly before looking down. Harry shared a glance with Wayne who shrugged. Susan and Izzy though shared a knowing look. Harry resolved to ask them later.

"Good. You?"

"Good. Come on Ginny let's find you a compartment." Ron Weasley said leading his sister away. That was the extent of the friendship between the youngest Weasley boy and the others which came about after Harry decked him last year.

"Well Neville you weren't the last one, which should make your grandmother happy." Susan said grinning.

Neville brightened, "Yeah it will if I just remember to tell her." Neville did not have the best memory in the world but it was improving. The train was moving in earnest now and the students settled in for the ride the girls both pulled out books while the boys pulled out a chess board. It was Neville's made of red and white stone pieces.

"Who first?" Neville asked he would go as it was his game but the other player would be between Harry and Wayne.

"Rock, paper, scissors?" Harry asked. Everyone but Wayne looked confused. Wayne nodded.

"Rock, paper, scissors, one, two, three." Harry said as they moved their fists. On three they picked one each Wayne holding out a fist and Harry holding his hand out flat. "I win." Harry grinned.

"What was that?" Susan asked curiously.

"It's a game that muggles play. Rock," he made a fist. "Paper," he held his hand out flat as Harry had. "Scissors," he held two fingers out and made a snipping motion. Rock crushes scissors, scissors cuts paper, and paper covers rock. So rock beats scissors but loses to paper. Scissors beats paper but loses to rock and paper beats rock but loses to scissors." While Neville and Harry played chess, all of them were trying to improve their chess game based on Cyril's suggestion, Wayne played Rock, Paper, Scissors, with the girls trying to teach them. Neville lost the game and Harry started to play Wayne while the girls now taught Neville how to play the hand game.

"Anything from the trolley?" They heard called out from a couple compartments down. They all stopped what they were doing and went for their money. "Anything from the trolley?" Was called again and a little old lady appeared pushing a trolley full of goodies for the students. Harry bought two cauldron cakes and two chocolate frogs. Wayne got a packet of Droobles Best Blowing Gum and a chocolate frog card. Neville bought some Fizzing Whizbees and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Susan and Isobel each got some Pumpkin Pasties and Jelly Slugs. All together they had almost one of everything to snack on.

"Hey guys," Cedric said stopping to see as they were snacking. "How was your summer?" Both Susan and Isobel blushed a little. Cedric was now a fourth year and quiet the handsome boy.

"Good we spent it at each other's places," Susan answered. Cedric was her mentor last year. "How was yours?"

"Good we went to France for a couple of weeks and then I spent the rest of it at Jeremy and Frank's." Jeremy Figg and Frank Knighton were fourth year Hufflepuffs like Cedric. They were nice enough but not really interested in the younger years like Cedric.

"How was France?"

"It was nice and warm and no rain," Cedric said with a laugh.

"Do you get a new mentee this year?"

"Nope every two years is as much as Professor Sprout will allow." Cedric said and winked at Susan. She blushed again and the boys shared a disgusted look. Cedric caught it and laughed. "I'll see you at the feast," he nodded before leaving.

"We should change into our robes," Isobel said checking the time with a muttered tempus spell. The boys left the compartment to change while the girls changed inside. After a few minutes Susan opened pulled the shade and opened the door to let them back in. Within minutes they were pulling into the Hogsmeade station. The students flooded off the train going in two groups. The second years and up went in one direction towards the horseless carriages. The first years followed the largest man at Hogwarts to the boats to take them to the castle.

Harry and his friends looked around the carriages with interest as one pulled away with nothing pulling it. They loaded into one of the carriages and it too moved of its own accord.

"Wicked." Wayne said leaning over to look at where there should be horses. Izzy pulled him back down with a shake of her head.

"So Harry why Lockhart did you find out?" Izzy asked.

"Yeah no one else applied for the job." Harry said remembering the confrontation between Aurora and Aunt Minnie. It was intense both women having tempers. Harry resolved not to make either of them mad if he could help it. "Apparently they think the job is cursed. No one has held it for more than a year for a while now."

They pulled up to the entrance of Hogwarts. They jumped out of the carriage and made their way in. "Ickle second years!" Peeves the Poltergeist was waiting in the entrance hall. He had something in his hands and chucked it at the group.

" _Sectum_." Harry threw up the shield and the balloon bounced back at Peeves and went through him. The balloon burst and paint was sent all over a portrait.

"Peeves I'll send the Bloody Baron after you," A seventh year Slytherin yelled from behind them as Peeves prepared to throw another balloon. Peeves took off with a cackle.

"Nice spell Potter." The seventh year said walking past them and into the Great Hall. The second years shared a shocked expression and then went into the Great Hall. Neville parted ways from his friends in Hufflepuff to sit at the Gryffindor table. Harry, Wayne, Susan, and Izzy took seats at the Hufflepuff table and prepared for the feast.

They had to wait for a bit while the first years took the boats to the castle. After what seemed like an eternity, thanks to hunger, Professor Flitwick led the mass of first years into the Great Hall. They looked around and around at everything in sight most focusing on the ceiling others on the house banners. It seemed like there were more first years this year. Flitwick lead them up to the front where a three legged stool sat with a hat on it. There was silence and then a wrinkle in the hat opened and a song burst out:

 _Welcome wee lads and lasses_

 _To Hogwarts castle_

 _Here you'll find the home._

 _To the brave and bold_

 _To Gryffindor Go._

 _The loyal and honest_

 _Find Hufflepuff best._

 _The wise and creative_

 _Dear Ravenclaw takes._

 _The ambitious and clever_

 _Lord Slytherin quarters_

The song finished and the whole school applauded with the first years joining in. Harry turned to his friends, "It's a new song?"

Izzy nodded, "There's a new one every year." Harry hummed his response as Professor Flitwick unraveled the parchment.

"Addison Acker." A small little girl with dirty blond hair stepped forward slowly. She made her way to the hat which Professor Flitwick placed on her head. The hat sat for only a few seconds before yelling out.

"Ravenclaw!" The blue and bronze table burst out in applause and the girl relaxed making her way over to them.

"Albert Allen." A small boy stepped forward and made his way to the hat.

"I don't remember being that small last year," Wayne said to his friends.

He was overheard by a fourth year nearby, "Trust me you were."

"Gryffindor!"

"Hey Harry who are the new teachers," Rodger asked getting his attention.

"Lockhart you know," Harry said nodding at the man, "his picture's on every book of his." Harry said rolling his eyes. He did not like the fact that the man was sitting next to Aurora.

"Old Sluggy," He said nodding to the large man with a walrus mustache. "is next to Professor Meadows." They clapped as Hufflepuff got a student.

Harry's face scrunched in confusion, "I don't know who the women next to mum is," Harry said. The woman was young probably Aurora's age. The two were talking to each other while Lockhart kept trying to bud in but was being kept out by the two women. She looked like the girl next door with an edge with her pretty looks, brunette hair, and purple glasses.

"She's cute," Ollie said with a bit of a dreamy look on his face. Harry nodded his head with a grin. Hufflepuff gained another student as they clapped. Susan and Izzy shared a look.

"Ugh," Izzy groaned and Susan agreed with her.

"Luna Lovegood," Professor Flitwick's voice rang out. A pale blond girl with a dreamy smile on her face glided up to the hat. The hat took some time with her before shouting out, "Ravenclaw!" The girl skipped over to the Ravenclaw table.

"Robert Malarkey." There were some snickers at his last name. The boy just shook his head and moved to the stool. The hat barely touched his head before it shouted.

"Hufflepuff!" The Hufflepuff table clapped as the boy took a seat with the other six first years. Harry started to zone out with hunger and the rest of the sorting happen in a sort of blur as it did for most of the students.

Finally only one first year was the redheaded girl from the train, "Ginerva Weasley!" The girl scampered up to the stool and the hat just touched her hair when it shouted.

"Gryffindor!"

Headmistress McGonagall stood, "Let's eat!" She said and a cheer went up from the students as the tables were filled with food. Harry's eyes zeroed in on the roast beef and he dug in serving himself up a plate of delicious food. Harry was silent as he ate content to listen to the conversations around him. His eyes often found the head table and particular of his mother Aurora and his Aunt Minerva. Both women gave him soft smiles after meeting his eyes. Minerva nodded to her plate telling him to eat up. She still thought he was a bit too skinny.

When the pudding was severed and eaten the Headmistress stood, "I have a few announcements before you are all dismissed. First we have some new teachers this year. First up taking over for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position is Professor Gilderoy Lockhart." The blond man with feathered hair stood and waved imperiously to the cheering students. A minority of the students, Harry and his friends included, looked rather annoyed with the man. "Our new Potions Master Horace Slughorn," Professor Slughorn stood and looked mighty pleased by the thunderous applause he received. Lockhart looked rather put out to be over shadowed. "And finally Professor Binns decided yesterday to move on," chatter went through the tables, "leaving us with an open position. Professor Melinda Winters has agreed to fill the post for us." More applause was given. "Also Screaming Yo-Yos are now on the band item list for the whole list see Mr. Flich's office. Have good term."

The students filed out of the Great Hall with Prefects leading the first years to their new dorms. Harry and his friends made their way to the common room and got their before the first years. They took up seats to welcome the first years with the rest of the older years. They clapped as they were lead in. In was odd for Harry to see how he must have looked last year. Professor Sprout came in and gave them her welcome speech and assigned mentors. Harry noticed one first year Zacharias Smith, if he was correct, looked bored. When the speech was over Harry and Wayne went their support way from the girls to hang out with Rodger and Ollie in their dorm.

* * *

Harry and the crew of second year Hufflepuffs made their way to the Charms classroom. Their first class of the year was Charms with the Ravenclaws. The match up always made for a fun if studious class. Professor Flitwick was standing on his customary stack of books, "Good morning second years!" He said in his squeaky voice.

"Good morning Professor Flitwick," The class said back taking their seats.

"So let's have a bit of review to make sure not everything found its way out of your head this summer." There was laughter from the class. "Now the lighting charm who can tell me about it? Miss Fawcet?"

"It lights either the caster's wand or the area depending on the caster's will."

"Excellent and would you perform the charm?"

She nodded, "Lumos." Her wand tip lit up. "Nox," She ended the charm."

"Good. Now let's see you all do it." Flitwick let them practice for a few minutes. He made sure everyone could light up and turn off the light of their wand before moving on. "Now the levitation charm? Mr. Hopkins."

"You can use it to levitate things of all weight. Wingardium Leviosa," He levitated his book up and down."

"Good Mr. Hopkins." He allowed them to practice once more. He then floated locked locks out to the class. "And the unlocking charm? Yes, Mr. Boot."

"It's also known as the thief's friend because it can unlock any lock that has not been spelled against it." Terry Boot demonstrated on his lock. Flitwick gestured for the class to follow his example. When everyone in the class demonstrated the charm correctly Flitwick spoke.

"Five points to both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Now today we're going to have bit of fun. We're going to be learning the paint charm." Flitwick turned to an easel he had set up. "Pigmentum." He traced his wand along the parchment and painted a rainbow and little leprechaun sitting under it. The class whispered in their excitement. "Now the incantation is pigmentum, there are no wand movements for this particular spell. Simply concentrate on the color and thickness you want and say the incantation." He floated out parchment to the students for them to practice. "I want all of you to try and paint the red of the rainbow by the time class is over. Remember to concentrate on the color, let it fill your mind as you say the spell." He let them loose with a grin.

Not even a minute later it became apparent why he was grinning. Terry Boot had gotten paint to come out of his wand, only instead of the fine stream of Flitwick, a huge blast of red paint slushed out and went everywhere as it sprayed the parchment. The class and classroom was soon covered in multicolored paint as the students tested the charm out. Harry though was rather clean, he hadn't attempted the charm yet. He was focusing on the color and trying not to end up soaked in paint. "Pigmentum." Harry said and traced his wand across the page. He got a rather thick line of a murky reddish color.

"Well done Mr. Potter!" Professor Flitwick said observing him do the charm. "Five points to Hufflepuff." Harry grinned. The rest of the class settled down and began to follow Harry's example. Five more students had Harry's results by the end of the class, Susan being one of them.

"Alright wands away!" Flitwick called. "Line up and I'll vanish the paint before you leave." Everyone lined up with their books and bags to get cleaned before leaving for their next class. For the Hufflepuffs it was Herbology. They made their way to the greenhouses Harry leading his three friends through a secret passage that let out in the entrance hall.

"You have got to take me pranking with you this year." Wayne said as they came out of the passage. He was grinning madly at the shortcut.

"I'll talk to the twins," Harry grinned back. He looked at Susan and Isobel, "What about you two? Want to help?"

"No thank you," Susan said easily while Izzy shrugged. Susan was not as fond of breaking rules as Harry and Wayne, came from having the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as her guardian.

"Maybe once in a while, depends on who you're pranking." Isobel said as they started the walk out the castle.

They were the first ones at Greenhouse three. It would be the first time they were allowed into this particular greenhouse. Not long after the other Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors showed up.

"One of these days you're going to have to share your secrets of the castle," Ollie said to Harry with annoyed look. Harry just shot him a grin and a shrug.

"In you go class," Professor Sprout ushered them in. "Welcome to Greenhouse 3 second years." Neville moved to stand by Harry and Wayne. Wayne nodded at him while Professor Sprout welcomed them. "Today we're going to be replotting mandrakes. Now four to a table," She gave them time to move to the tables were two pots were setup for each person. One was filled and had a few leaves sticking out of it, the other was empty. Harry, Neville, Wayne and Seamus Finnegan took a table together. Susan and Isobel took a table with two of their roommates, Megan Jones, and Leanne Brady.

"Who can tell me the property of the mandrake? Yes, Miss Granger."

"Mandrake or Mandragora is plant which roots look like a baby when young. The mandrakes cry when it matures is fatal to anyone who hears it." She said as if reciting a book, which she was.

"Good five points to Gryffindor." She beamed while the rest of the class tried not to vomit.

"Is she always like that?" Wayne asked the two Gryffindors quietly.

"Yeah." Finnegan replied shaking his head in irritation. "Should hear 'er the common room." Neville grimaced she always lecturing the others on doing their homework ahead of time. Or saying it was not good enough.

Professor Sprout banged her wand against a can for quiet, "Now as are mandrakes are still maturing their cry won't kill you. It'll just knock you out for a couple of hours, which is why you wear the earmuffs I've provided for you." There were indeed earmuffs at each table. Lavender Brown seemed pleased to have a pair of pink fluffy ones. Though she said it would clash with her robes.

They put the earmuffs on and Professor Sprout spoke loudly to be heard clearly, "Now grasp your mandrake firmly and pull it straight up." She did so and a dirty looking baby type thing let out a screeching wail that had everyone pressing their earmuffs tighter to their ears. Harry flinched back at the noise as did many others and he looked at his plant as if touching it would lead to nightmares. "Now put him in the new pot, sprinkle some dirt in to keep 'em warm. Chop, chop get to it."

Harry looked at the plant and then at Wayne and then back at the plant. He grimaced and took hold of the stem. He pulled hard and straight up as the plant came out screeching something fierce. Harry thrust the mandrake into the other pot and hurriedly poured dirt on the obnoxiously screaming thing. He went through five mandrakes by the time class was over and like many other he practically sprinted out of the greenhouse to get to lunch and away from the mandrakes.

After lunch the Hufflepuffs troop their way up to the History of Magic classroom. "So what do you think goblins or no goblins?" Wayne asked.

"Merlin let there be no goblins," Harry said as they walked in the classroom. Everyone stopped causing people to run into each other. They looked around the room in wonder, no longer was the classroom dank and dusty and filled with nothing of interest except a blackboard that never changed. Now the room was light and airy with the windows open. Around the room were maps, pictures of famous wizards and witches, famous landmarks, and the most impressive part to the twelve year olds was one wall entirely filled with a completed Chocolate Frog Card Collection.

"Come in don't just stand there," Professor Winters said laughing. "That's the third time that's happened today." She was standing at her desk dressed in stylish robes of purple that matched her glasses. Her glasses had purple metal frames that were thick but managed to look good on her. Her hair was styled into a simple pony tail.

Harry and Wayne both took seats near the front which made Susan and Isobel giggle quietly to themselves. They took seats next to the boys with amused smiles that confused the two males. The Slytherins arrived next and took their seats after entering much like the Hufflepuff horde had. The Slytherins took the remaining seats. Draco Malfoy shot Harry a glare as he took a seat in front of the Hufflepuffs in the very front row. Harry glared back at the blond boy with irritation boarding very closely on hatred. Harry had not forgotten the blond boy's laughter at Borgin and Burkes.

"Welcome to History of Magic. I'm Professor Winters and I graduated from Hogwarts nine years ago. Which means I had Professor Binns for history too. Which also means I avoid goblins at all costs," Professor Winters said with a smile. Both the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins clapped. "Yes. We will unfortunately have some goblins as their rebellions are important but we will only be studying the major ones. Now this year though goblins won't be mentioned at all." Another cheer. "This year will be studying creation stories of different cultures as well as the Ancient Sumerians and the Ancient Egyptians."

"Now I have a syllabus here for you." Seeing some of the blank looks she added, "It's an outline of what we'll be doing this year along with your assignments for the year. Just in case any of you decide you want to start them early." She saw their looks, "yes I know I'm crazy for thinking that." She went on to delve into the classroom rules that she expected the class. By the time she finished the class period was over and the Hufflepuffs had to make their way to another new teacher, Defense Against the Dark Arts with Lockhart.

The room just like the History of Magic classroom was vastly different than it had been with Quirrell. For one there was no overpowering smell of garlic, they all breathed deeply in the classroom for the first time since they came to Hogwarts. The classroom was covered in pictures of Gilderoy Lockhat, including one massive painting that had Gilderoy Lockhart painting a smaller picture of Gilderoy Lockhart. There was a mad rush by the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs to grab the front row seats. Harry looked and Izzy, Susan, Wayne and Neville with a raised eyebrow. They shrugged and the five of them took seats in the back of the classroom. When the fight for the front row was done Megan Jones and Hannah Abbott had one desk followed by Hermione Granger and Justin Finch Fetchly and then the final pair were Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown. The rest took their seats as close as they could to the front. Ron Weasley dropped into the seat next to Harry. Wayne and Neville were sharing one desk in the back row leaving Harry with an open seat.

"Can you believe this?" Ron said nodding to those in front. "All over a smiling git. We lost five points in potions because Lavender and Parvati wouldn't stop giggling over him." Ron turned slightly red with irritation.

Harry laughed once and then said, "Have ya' tried to read his books. Full of shite." Harry said with a disgusted look.

"I don't read unless it's assigned or quidditch." Ron said laughing. Their conversation was cut off as the office door was opened and Gilderoy Lockhart came prancing out.

"Welcome, welcome," He said fawning. "I'm your new Defense Against the Dark Arts, Gilderoy Lockhart. Order of Merlin, third class, honorary member of the Dark Arts Defense League, and five time Witch Weekly Best Smile winner but let's not talk about those awards." Harry rolled his eyes. "I have a quick test for you all just to see how well you all read my books." He passed out the test.

Harry looked at it and then at Ron and then at Wayne and Neville. They all shared the same wide eyed look of you've got to be kidding me. The test was full of questions about Gilderoy Lockhart. Such as; what is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color or what is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition. One asked what hair care product Gilderoy Lockhart used.

"Screw this," Harry muttered. He put his name on the test and then shoved it forward refusing to even take the test. He glanced at Ron's test and saw the boy was filling in random answers most of which were not flattering. Harry grinned as he read the answer to the haircare product, Ron put a wig. He looked at Wayne and Neville and saw that Wayne was not answering the questions either instead looked to be practicing the paint charm on the test. Neville was answering but by the smile on the boy's face he figured Neville was answering along the lines of Ron.

He collected the test after about a half hour and tsked at them, "Hardly any of you remembered my favorite color is lilac. Only Miss Granger remembered that I used Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. She also remembered that my greatest desire is peace between all magical races." Harry nearly barfed in his mouth. He was willing to bet Lockhart couldn't name more than five magical races.

He set the tests down on the desk behind him. "Now it's my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to man." He brought out what looked like a covered bird cage. It was rattling and shaking back and forth as if whatever was in it was very eager to escape. "I must ask you not to scream." He pulled back the cover with a flourish.

Seamus Finnegan immediately started laughing, "Pixies." Inside the cage had to be nearly twenty electric blue creatures with large ears and eyes and humanoid bodies. They were shaking the cage and chattering strangely to each other.

"Cornish Pixies." Professor Lockhart said. "They can be devilishly tricky little blighters. Let's see what you make of them." He opened the cage releasing the pixies on the class. They flew out at an alarming speed and immediately started causing chaos. Books and inkwells were being thrown across the room. The students were shouting and running trying to duck out of the way of flying objects. They made for the door but were barred by the pixies. "Oh come now just follow me. Peskipiksi Pesternomi," He said a spell while moving his wand. Absolutely nothing happen except the pixies seemed to get even more out of control. A book was flung across the room and hit Granger in the head. Knocking her to the ground. Lockhart panicked and tried the spell again only for a pixie to sweep down and snap it from his fingers.

Harry flipped his desk over when the book and ink throwing started and backed into the corner ducking down under it when anything flew past him. Wayne and Neville jumped over to join Ron and Harry behind shelter bringing Susan and Izzy with them. It was tight fit but it was better than being totally unguarded. The pixies zoomed around. Harry stuck his head to see a few pixies pull Justin Finch-Fetchly up by his ears and attached to the chandelier in the room. "Shite it's got Lockhart's wand." Harry said ducking back down his voice gravelly with the volume he spoke at.

Other students were diving under desks after Hermione got hit with a book in the head. The pixie with the wand flew up and tapped the chain holding the dragon skeleton. It crashed to the flow with an almighty booming sound. Screams were heard. Harry turned to the others. "On three, freeze them. One, two, three! Petrificus Totalus!" They all popped up from their cover shouting the spell at the nearest pixies. The six spells connected with pixies freezing them and making them fall to the floor. "Again," Harry said. They fired again and hit more pixies. "Move," Harry shouted as the pixie with the wand turned towards them. It fired off a spell with Lockhart's wand. "Protego," Harry shielded whatever it was and fired back, "Petrificus totalus," his spell hit the pixie with the wand causing both the wand and the pixie to drop to the floor. He heard his friends shout their spells finishing off the pixies.

"Get them in the cage," Harry said picking up the wand and pixie leader. He walked to the front and shoved it in the cage. The other second years came out from under their desks looking like they had been through a bad fight. Ink was splattered on peoples' robes. They had cuts from the glass of the ink wells. Some had bruises from books. The room looked even worse with ink splatter, torn pages, and glass from the windows everywhere. Not including the dragon skeleton pieces that were littering the floor, some crushed and broken by the fall.

"Everyone okay?" Harry asked. He got stunned nods from the class. "Granger?" She had sat up holding her head in her hands.

"Ow," was her only reply.

"What is going on in here?" Came the shout of surprise from Headmistress McGonagall as she came in. She had been alerted by Hermes to the situation. She levitated Justin Finch-Fetchly down from the chandelier. She had to step over pieces of dragon bone to enter the classroom.

"Pixies," Harry said.

"All of you who can manage to walk there head to the hospital wing please. Miss Granger can you stand," Professor McGonagall asked as she moved to kneel by the girl.

"Yes," Hermione stood with Professor McGonagall's help.

"Harry see that she gets to the hospital wing. Where is Professor Lockhart?"

"He ran into his office," Izzy said with an annoyed look.

"Here's his wand." Harry handed it over before steadying Hermione Granger.

"Take her, I need to have a chat with Professor Lockhart," From the glare on her face it did not look like it would be a pleasant conversation. Harry and his friends left with Hermione to take her to the hospital wing.

* * *

Harry and Wayne stood in their quidditch gear with their brooms. The Hufflepuff quidditch tryout was about to begin and over twenty people turned out for the tryout this year, spurred by their win last season. Cedric and Arthur Rickett were the only two returning players for the year, the others either graduated or wanted to focus on their OWLs and NEWTs. Arthur was a sixth year and the Hufflepuff keeper. He was a burly but tall sixteen year-old with a large wing span and curly dark brown hair. "Listen up!" Cedric yelled and then whistled to get the attention of everyone. "So we only need chasers and beaters this year." A couple of hopefuls groaned and left to go watch in the stands. Cedric shook his head; that detail was on the poster he put up in the common room. Still they had a large amount of people milling about the pitch.

He looked at Arthur and Arthur leaned over whispering something to his captain. Despite the age difference they were the same height. "Right every give me three laps around the field." They took off into the air. Harry and Wayne were near the middle of the pack but Harry soon out flew the rest of the pack and situated himself at the front. He flew with grace and poise that many of the fliers behind him lacked. Wayne eventually made his way up through the pack by dodging in and out of the other fliers but his Comet broom could not catch up to Harry. No one could catch up to Harry. Cedric doubted he could.

"That kid can fly," Arthur said to Cedric.

They all landed some more rocky than the others and Cedric ended up dismissing more than half of the hopeful just based on their flying skills. Ernie Macmillian was one of those that got kicked to the curb early on. They were left with six chaser hopefuls and four beater hopefuls.

"We're going to do the beater's first," He had them take to the air. He floated targets into the air. At first they were stationary. Cedric released four bludgers and set them loose on the targets. Harry and Wayne both were able to hit the stationary targets with speed, accuracy and power. Every time a bludger came near them they smashed it at a target. Harry was easily able to out play the other beaters to the bludgers. Not all of it was his broom in fact most of it was his skill in the air. The Nimbus was harder for school aged quidditch players to handle but Harry did it with ease.

Arthur and Cedric were talking and then Cedric called out, "Fleet you're done." The third year that was trying out flew down from the air. Cedric set the targets to move. Wayne was able to knock a target off its course many times as did Pandit, the fifth year. Wayne had almost as much power as the fifth year. Harry hit all of his moving targets in exactly the same place, the arms of the target.

"Alright you can come down," Cedric yelled. He put his head together with Arthur for less than a minute. "Harry and Wayne congrats mates." Manoj Pandit shook their hands before heading off.

"Chasers get up there," Cedric yelled. He put up some slalom posts and some smaller hoops than the goal hoops for quidditch. Cedric flew up to be even with the posts and said to the first one, "Go." They went through the slalom courses and Cedric dismissed two of the hopefuls. After the third time through three different courses. He then had them slalom through and shoot at the smaller hoops. He sent another chaser packing after that leaving only four remaining. "Artie take the hoops." Cedric yelled to his goalkeeper. Artie took a position between the three hoops. "Ten shoots each." The penalty shots were an interesting event, Artie proved his weight in gold by blocking seven of the forty penalty shots. Penalty shots were always in favor of the taker not the saver.

Cedric called them back down and grinned at Artie giving him a high five, "Nice job mate."

"You know it," Artie said with false bravado. They both laughed before turning to the Chasers who were watching both amused and impatiently.

"Alright so our chasers are going to be James Stebbins," the fifth year step forward and punched the sky saying yes. He was tall and wiry and scored eight out of ten on the penalties. "Ray Summers," he was a fourth year and burlier but shorter than Stebbins with messy dark blond hair. He scored nine out of ten of his penalties. "And Natsumi Suzuki." The Japanese third year was small and fast and scored ten out of ten on her penalties. The girl grinned showing off perfect gleaming white teeth. Harry and Wayne both got dreamy looks on their face for a second before throwing it off. "Congratulations guys our first practice is Wednesday after classes." With that he dismissed them to the locker rooms and Harry and Wayne went in to change before coming out and being met with a bouncing Iz and a smiling Susan.

"Congrats guys! I can't believe you made beater in your second year," Izzy's words tumbled out together as she bounced up and down with excitement.

Susan put a hand on her shoulders to stop her bouncing, "You're going to make someone throw up." Susan said laughing. "She's a little excited. Congratulations." She stepped forward and hugged both boys. Harry and Wayne grinned at their friends with joy.

"You guys totally killed it! The Weasley twins better watch out," Izzy said as they started walking back to the castle. "Ravenclaw's beaters don't stand a chance against you." She had stopped bouncing but was still talking a mile a minute.

"I think she's more excited than we are." Wayne muttered to Harry. Harry laughed gaining a glare from Izzy but she went right back into to talking about quidditch. She talked the whole way back to the common room.

Susan stood in front of her, "Iz!" She said forcefully. Isobel stopped talking and looked at Susan with wide eyes. "We need to work on our Astronomy homework now." They had an essay on the effects of the position of Mars.

"Right." Isobel said and the four Hufflepuffs claimed a table in the corner of the common room. Wayne and Harry but their brooms away and grabbed their stuff and joined the girls at the table. They worked well into the night and then decided around ten it was time to hit the hay, all of them having finished the essay for Professor Sinistra.

* * *

The next day found Harry and Wayne hold up in an unused classroom with Fred and George Weasley. The four were planning a prank on Lockhart, Malfoy, and Marcus Flint. They were brewing a hair loss potion. "I can't believe Lockhart locked himself in his office." George said laughing as he added blistercap flowers to the potion.

"The idiot lost his wand ta one of the pixies an' then ran for it," Wayne said shaking his head.

"Aunt Minerva is pissed beyond belief," Harry threw in. "A lot of us were hurt, Granger the worst with a concussion."

Fred snickered, "That sucked for her but blimey it was nice to not have her marching about the common room for a couple of days."

"She's prefect in the making, that one," George added. Fred nodded his head while he was chopping moonroots up.

Harry was leaning over plans for a prank of Mr. Filch and Mrs. Norris. They were going to turn Mrs. Norris into a mouse and Mr. Flich into walking rainbow. One would require transfiguration and the other a potion. Harry was looking over the Marauder's Map, a nifty map the twins had that showed where everyone was in the castle and all the secret passages.

"The potion's done," George said with a grin. They bottled it up and then left the abandoned classroom. They used the map to move through the school at night. They avoided Filch at the third floor and moved quietly to Lockhart's quarters. They used the password on the Marauder's Map to enter. "Gilderoy Lockhart." George said.

"Who makes their password their name," Wayne hissed quietly.

"An ego driven prick," Fred replied before shushing him. They sneaked into Lockhart's quarters and Fred and George went to apply the potion to the man's hair. Harry snuck into his kitchen and switched the man's sugar and salt shakers. Wayne found a stack of personalized fan mail photos and drew mustaches on them with the new paint spell he learned. Fred and George came back out and gave the two boys thumbs up and they left Lockhart's quarters.

They made their way down to the dungeons next. The entrance to the Slytherin dorms was an innocuous patch of wall that had a few snakes carved into it, not uncommon to find in the dungeons as it was Slytherin territory. "Pure," George spoke the password after checking to make sure no one was in the common room. They entered the low ceiling room and looked around with appreciation, it was nice common room, though quiet gloomy. They looked at the map and found their way to the boys' dormitory. They stopped first at the second year dorms and easily found the blond hair of Draco Malfoy, he didn't have his drapes closed. Fred sprinkled the potion into Draco's hair and then they snuck back out. They made their way down a winding hallway to the seventh year dorms. Fred and George checked the dorms for charms before entering. They made their way over to Flint and sprinkled the potion on his hair. And then just because they had extra they sprinkled the rest of the potion over every other seventh year Slytherin boys' head. They went back to the second year dorms and did the same before finally leaving the Slytherin dorms. The Weasley twins dropped off Harry and Wayne using the map at Hufflepuff common room before leaving to go back to Gryffindor's common room.

Early in the morning several panic shouts were heard throughout the castle. There was an exodus of Slytherin boys running to the hospital wing only to be told by Madam Pomfrey, after several attempts to fix the missing hair, that there was nothing she could do. They would just have to wait it out. Curiously enough a Gryffindor first year, Colin Creevey, was in the hospital wing with his camera getting treated for nose bleed and was able to snap a picture of the scene. In the weeks to come prints of the photo were going for as high as three galleons a pop.

"Welcome to Potions," Professor Slughorn said as the second year Hufflepuffs and Slytherins made their way into class. The bald heads of the Slytherin boys making nearly everyone giggle. It was their first potions class with Professor Slughorn. Slughorn himself looked like he was having a hard time not giggling himself. Draco Malfoy seemed to have a bit of cone head hiding underneath all his blond hair while his friend Goyle had a lumpy head. Crabbe though looked like he had aged ten years without the hair, bit of a scary look into what his future was.

"In light of today's events I thought we would start by brewing an obscure hair growing potion that was made in the fifteen hundreds." Professor Slughorn said to the laughter of the students. Malfoy was glowering at the Hufflepuffs, particularly Harry and Wayne.

"But first we have to go over some of the ingredients." He went over rat tails, lionfish tails, dragon blood, knarl quills, and Abraxan hairs. "What do Abraxan hairs add to the potion? Yes Miss MacDougal?" He ignored Malfoy's hand for the third time that class. Harry thought it was strange given Slughorn's propensity to gather influential students to himself but then Harry noticed he avoided more than a few Slytherins. Namely Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, and Parkinson.

"They add a thickening agent as well as a base for the hair to grow." Isobel answered.

"Good five points to Hufflepuff." He seemed very pleased by Isobel's answer if his smile was anything to go by. "Now why don't we go ahead and give the potion a try. And when we're done we'll be able to give a try."

Harry and Wayne didn't look very pleased to be brewing a potion that would undo their prank but shrugged and went with it. They got their cauldron on the heat and dropped in the dragon's blood on to the minor heat. Harry stirred the dragon's blood as Wayne chopped the rat tail into the small chunks. Wayne added the rat tail to the cauldron as Harry stirred the blood. The potion turned a vivid green. Harry stopped stirring and let the potion rest and started to crush the quills and lionfish tails together. Wayne prodded at the flame with his wand keeping it at a moderate temperature not letting it get to hot or too cool. Wayne counted down the time and then flicked his wand causing the flames to flare. "Go Harry."

Harry added in the crushed mixture and then stirred the potion counterclockwise six times. They had to wait for five minutes while the potion developed and stir once every minute. Wayne kept the time and Harry stirred at his mark. The potion was a bright blue as it was supposed to be. "Alright we can add the hair," Wayne said as the five minutes counted down. Harry added the hairs to the potion and then stirred counterclockwise eight times while Wayne kept the heat high almost to a boiling point. After the eighth stir Wayne cut the flame immediately and Harry moved the cauldron on to a rest stool. They looked at the board and saw their potion was the correct consistency and color.

"Bugger," Wayne said quietly. Harry nodded, it looked like most of the class had done the potion correctly if Slughorn's praise was anything to go by. Crabbe and Goyle's cauldron though had become a twisted metal contraption.

"My boys what on earth did you do?" Slughorn asked looking at it with wide eyes.

"Well that makes it slightly better," Harry said quietly making Wayne laugh.

Slughorn came over to their potion, "Well done boys, well done." He went around complimenting or telling students where they went wrong and how to improve on the potion next time. It was interesting to have more thrown at the students than 'you're a dunderhead.'

Professor Slughorn returned to the front of the class after taking a some vials from those that he had thought were the best, "Alright my wayward snakes come up to the front and well see if this doesn't do the trick." Draco shoved Blaise Zabini and Theo Nott out of the way and then Goyle and Crabbe did the same. Professor Slughorn's eyes narrowed, "Mr. Zabini followed by Mr. Nott will go first." Draco looked put out and tried to pout but Professor Slughorn remained firmed. Nott and Zabini took the potion and waited. About four seconds later they started sprouting hair. They grew a bit more than a buzz cut but that was it. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle all sprouted the same amount of hair. For Crabbe it looked like his normal hair style but Draco still looked like a bit of a cone head. Harry and Wayne snickered as did most of the Hufflepuffs, Draco's pale blond hair didn't make for much of an improvement.

 **A/N:**

 **So I had planned for this to be longer than the first story but I'm not sure now. On another note, I got a review that really sorta pissed me off and made me not want to write but I pushed through it.**

 **If you read Si Vis, a short chapter should be posted today or tomorrow.**

 **Thanks for the interest and hope you enjoyed,**

 **AM**


	3. Chapter 3

October brought with it cold and damp weather that had nearly everyone in the castle rushing off to Madam Pomfrey. Pepper Up potions were being used in mass, people walked around the castle with steam coming out of their ears all fighting off the common cold. Not even wizards were immune to the seasonal annoyance.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen your attention please," Flitwick called to the class of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. "If you noticed we have some guests with us today. Friar Tuck and Sir Nicholas have kindly agreed to help us out with today's lesson." The ghosts of Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were floating near Professor Flitwick and gave little waves to the class.

"Did you know his name was Tuck," Wayne whispered to Harry.

"Nope," Harry whispered back, "but I guess his real name couldn't be the Fat Friar.

"Think maybe we should call him Friar Tuck from now on," Susan added her voice to the mix.

"Yeah." Harry confirmed with a nod.

"Now today we're going to be learning the Skurge Charm. Which is quiet a useful little charm when dealing with ghost. Who knows what is left behind by ghosts? Miss Turpin?"

"Ectoplasm," Lisa Turpin answered.

"Good now the skurge charm is designed to get rid of ectoplasm. It also helps to ward of ghosts or unfriendly spirits like?"

The whole class shouted, "Peeves!"

"Excellent." Flitwick said with a gleeful smile. "Now the incantation is simply skurge. The ghosts are going to go past you and leave some ectoplasm behind. So clear your stuff away except for your wand." With that the Fat Friar and Nearly Headless Nick went down the rows of desk leaving behind them the glowing greenish ooze that was ectoplasm. Izzy made a face of disgust which was shared by many Harry, Wayne, and Susan included. It was perhaps a good thing that ectoplasm was so disgusting as nearly everyone had mastered the charm by the end of the class. The second years left the class eager to try the charm on Peeves the next time he bothered them.

Wayne, Harry, Izzy and Susan left charms classroom and made their way down to their down to Herbology. They got to the top of the stair case just as someone shouted "Lapsus!" The tripping jinx hit Harry square on and Harry fell and was launched down the stairs. Harry hit the steps in the middle of the staircase, a loud snapping sound was heard. Pain shot through Harry's leg and it brought him back to where he was. He tucked himself as he rolled down the rest of the steps. He landed with a painful thud at the bottom of the stairs. Wayne saw a platinum blond head disappear around the corner before he sprinted down the steps to Harry's side.

"Damn it, shite, piss, bugger, fuck!" Harry was cursing loudly as writhed on the ground. His shin bone was sticking out his skin slightly. He could feel bruises forming on his back and sides and he had a few cuts on the side of his face and arm. Harry kept swearing.

"Harry!" His friends shouted as they came down to the landing. A crowd was forming around them. "Stop moving," Susan said over his cursing. Harry stilled himself and bit the inside of his mouth to stop from cursing.

"What's going on here?" Came the pompous voice of Professor Lockhart. He waltzed up to the scene and looked it over. "Not worry I can fix this in a jiffy." He pulled out his wand and moved Izzy out of the way, none to gently. "Brackium Emendo." A flash of blue followed the spell and Harry suddenly felt like his legs were lopsided. The pain had vanished but when he tried to stand his right leg collapsed and bent like a rubber hose. Harry was sent sprawling forward as people shouted in disgust. "Um…that can sometimes happen. But clearly the bone is no longer broken."

"No longer broken! You vanished his bones!" Susan shouted indignantly. "He really needs the hospital wing now! Wingardium Leviosa." She floated Harry into the air and set off for the hospital wing. Wayne bumped into Professor Lockhart who was still kneeling on the ground with the crowd around them.

Professor Lockhart fell over, "Sorry," Wayne muttered in a totally unconvincing way. Wayne took off with Susan and Izzy and the floating Harry. They had to go back up the stairs to reach the third floor again.

Izzy looked at Harry floating and at Susan, "Sue are you still good?" She asked referring to her levitating Harry.

"I'm good no wobbling."

"Oh trust me I'd let you know," Harry said and then grumbled, "I don't need another fall down the stairs."

"I think it was Malfoy who shot the tripping jinx." Wayne said as they were walking to the hospital wing. Harry tossed his head back to look at Wayne. "I saw his blond head disappear around the corner. The Slytherins had potions, he should have been in the dungeons." Wayne concluded as they walked into the hospital wing.

"That's not enough proof," Izzy said as Madam Pomfrey came rushing towards them.

"What happened?" She asked as she directed Susan to place Harry on a bed. Susan did so and then sat heavily the spell had tired her out a bit.

"A tripping jinx hit Harry and he fell down the stairs. His bone was sticking out of his leg and Lockhart tried to heal it but," Izzy's face screwed up in disgust, "he vanished the bones."

Madam Pomfrey looked outraged and cast a diagnostic on Harry. "Your bones are vanished young man." She bustled away and they heard her say, "He should've been brought straight to me. I'm the fully qualified healer!" She came rushing back over with a bottle of something. It was a strange bottle like a skeleton. "You're in for a rough night Potter. I can mend bones is a second but growing them back," she trailed off then added, "growing them back takes time." She poured a jigger of the potion into it. "Skelegrow, drink up." Harry took it drank it down and spit it out immediately. It went everywhere including on Wayne who gave Harry a glare.

Harry laughed, "Sorry mate."

"What did you expect Pumpkin juice?" Madam Pomfrey asked pouring another jigger. "Keep it down this time, mind you it's expensive."

Harry swallowed it down with a horrible grimace, "That's toxic." Harry muttered.

"You three need to get to your next class. I'll write you a pass you. You can back tonight before the feast." Madam Pomfrey said.

"The feast!" Wayne said and then put his head in his hands. "You're going to miss the feast. And this year there is no psycho teacher to ruin it."

Harry just shook his head, "Don't worry about it." He said and gritted his teeth as a spasm of pain wracked his leg. He grabbed at it in pain. "Ahh." He yelled.

"Here Mr. Potter," Madam Pomfrey came over and tapped his leg with her wand. "I'm sorry I can't do more but it would interact with the potion." His leg became somewhat numb but there were still small spasms of pain. "Here you three go," she gave them the note. She ushered them out of the hospital wing. She came back over to Harry. "Try to get some rest while the numbing charm is working Potter. I will let Aurora know what's going on." Harry nodded and moved around to get comfortable. He closed his eyes and drifted off into a fitful sleep.

The next time he opened his eyes Aurora was sitting next to him. She was reading an Astronomy book but placed it down when she saw his eyes open. She placed a hand on his forehead. "This is beginning to become a regular occurrence."

Harry shrugged, "It's not my fault Professor Lockhart's an idiot."

"No it's not," Aurora said with a grin. "I've already informed him of that fact as well." Harry grinned at her. "How's the pain level?"

"It's starting to hurt again." He winced as he spoke. It was like he could feel the bone growing and stretching into place. It was a singularly unpleasant feeling that Harry hoped he would never have to go through again. One thing was for sure though, Lockhart had another prank coming his way. Harry winced again and Aurora quickly tapped his leg with her wand, he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Sorry," Aurora said with a sympathetic wince. Harry just nodded but his face slowly started to relax as the numbing charm began to work again. "Any ideas on who did this?" Aurora asked him.

Harry shrugged and said, "Wayne thought he saw Malfoy disappear around the corner. And since he was supposed to be in the dungeons," He let the accusation fall. "But there were so many students around."

"It wouldn't surprise me if it was Malfoy but unfortunately that's not enough to do anything but talk to him. I'll pass his name along to Professor McGonagall."

"Harry!" The chorus of voice came from his friends and teammates on the Quidditch team. Harry grinned at them and gave them a cheeky little wave.

"Hey guys."

"How are you feeling?" Cedric asked him.

"Crappy," Harry said with a grimace as a particular painful spasm that he could still feel shot through his leg.

"Yeah skelegrow blows," Artie said with a grin. "I needed it two years ago after I shattered the bones in my arm."

"How did you shatter your arm bones?" Harry asked.

"Fall off my broom playing Quidditch at my house. No one was there to catch me or slow me down."

"Any ideas who tripped you?" Natsumi asked. The whole teamed looked rather interested in the answer to that question.

Aurora answered the question silencing Harry, "There will be an investigation." The Hufflepuffs did not like the answer but knew better than to argue with the Professor. Harry did not bother adding anything knowing Wayne would tell them his suspicion out of earshot of Aurora.

"Did Madam Pomfrey say if you're going to miss Quidditch practice?" Cedric asked.

Harry shrugged but Aurora answered, "Yes, for tomorrow, he'll miss. He should be back by your Sunday practice though." Harry looked put out by the new development.

"Yeah the bones need time to rest or something like that," Artie added. The gang of kids stayed with Harry for another half hour chatting. Mostly Aurora's presence was ignored by the tweens and teens. Wayne did a rather good impression of Lockhart acting out scenes from his books. Today's victim, or helper, was Justin Finch Fetchly.

"And Lockhart twirled his wand right out of his fingers and it hit Justin in the face turning him blue. He looked like a smurf," Wayne said laughing.

"What is Lockhart teaching your classes?" Aurora asked the older students.

They shrugged, "Mostly he teaches us about Dark Creatures. It's not bad until he starts acting out scenes from his books." Aurora nodded and went back to her work.

"Well mate we gotta go," Summers said checking his watch. "You want us to save you some candy?"

"A bit of everything if you can," Harry pouted a bit, he really wanted to experience the end of the feast, mostly for the candy. The team nodded.

"See ya' tomorrow." They all exchanged greetings before taking off for the feast.

Aurora looked at Harry's longing expression as watched his friends leave with a bit of amusement. She had an ace up her sleeve still. "I have a surprise for you." Harry looked curiously at her. "Tottie," She called and the Sinistra elf appeared holding a tray oh hot, steaming fresh pizza. It was loaded with Harry's favorite, double cheese, sausage, pepperoni, and hot peppers.

"No way!" Harry shouted causing Madam Pomfrey to stick her head out of her office. She saw Aurora was still there and went back to her work.

"Yes way," Aurora said with an amused look. She grinned at Tottie, "Tottie here's been learning how to make pizza for you and perfected it recently. I thought today would be a good day for you to find out." Harry surprised everyone by pulling the elf, pizza and all it a hug.

"Thanks Tottie, this is wicked. He grabbed a slice and chowed down while Tottie's eyes teared up.

"Tottie is please little master likes it!" She popped out leaving them with a liter of Coke. Harry had already finished his first slice and was moving on to his second.

Aurora laughed, "Slow down you wouldn't want to choke. Although this would be the place to do it." She dug into her own slice of pizza. Silence reigned as they ate the whole large pizza and finished off the pop provided by Tottie. When they had finished a small bowl of assorted candy popped into existence on Harry's bedside table.

"Cool." Harry said grabbing a cherry Sugar Quill from the bowl.

"The house elves must really like you," Aurora said grabbing a handful of Every Flavor Bean.

Harry was about to reply when he heard it, " _Come to me, let me rip, let me tear, let me…kill."_

"What was that?" Harry asked sitting up in his bed.

"What was what?" Aurora asked looking at him.

" _Kill, rip, tear, feast."_

"That!" Harry was looking around for the voice. "It sounds like it's moving."

"Like what is moving?" Aurora asked him becoming concerned.

" _So hungry, need to feed. Need to rip, need to kill,"_ The voice started drifting off.

"It's moving, it's going to kill." Harry said and jumped from his bed landing on one foot.

Aurora stopped him from moving any further. "Harry what is it, what's moving? What do you mean it's going to kill?"

"It's hungry! It's moving that way," Harry pointed to his left. Aurora looked at him and studied him.

"Alright," She levitated him. "Which way are we going?" She followed his directions as they rushed off after a voice that only Harry could hear. He directed her as they went. He was following the voice but then it disappeared just as they came to a corridor flooded with water.

"Looks like Myrtle flooded the bathroom," Aurora said as they moved slowly through the water. "Oh no." Aurora said.

"What?" Harry whispered in urgency as he looked at the same sight that caused Aurora to curse. On the wall painted in what was unmistakably blood read, "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir beware." Hanging next to it from a fixture by her tail was Mrs. Norris, the hated cat of Hogwarts. It appeared to be dead.

"Harry I'm sending you back now," And with that warning Harry was sent zooming through the halls in the air. He landed with a thud in his hospital bed. Seconds later and emergency tone was set off by Professor Sinistra.

Professor Sinistra waited in the hallway looking at the water wearily and with her wand out and at the ready. She stood poised ready for an attacker but was only to be joined by the Headmistress and the four Heads of Houses. Unfortunately they were soon joined by the students who were being rushed to their common rooms to be locked down. Everyone stood at the cross roads staring at the wall. "To bed all of you," Headmistress McGonagall rushed them on before anyone could say anything. The students went in separate directions based on houses being led by the other professors.

"My cat! My cat's dead! Poor Mrs. Norris," Filch was crying over his cat as the students left the hallway. Professor McGonagall moved over to examine the cat.

"She's not dead Argus!" She said loudly to be heard over his sobbing. He stopped blubbering and looked at the Headmistress with hope. "She had been petrified."

"Petrified?" Mr. Filch asked.

"Yes she is a state of stasis." Professor McGonagall said. "Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout will be able to brew a mandrake drought when the mandrakes mature and return her to her glory." Professor McGonagall turned to Aurora. "What happened?"

Aurora shook her head and then said, "I was with Harry in the hospital wing when he heard a voice."

"He heard it?" Professor McGonagall asked. "What about you?"

"I heard nothing," Aurora said slowly. The four heads looked at her with worry as did the Headmistress. "Just Harry heard it."

"And what did it say?" Professor Sprout asked with concern lacing her tone.

"He said it wanted to kill." Aurora hesitated, "He truly believed it so I levitated him and we followed it. It led us here to Mrs. Norris and the message. I set off the alarm as soon as I sent Harry back."

"Tell Harry not to speak of this," Professor McGonagall said. "All of us are going to search the school. If you find anything else unusual report it to me." By this time the other teachers had returned and were directed to join in the search. The teachers searched the school for hours but could find no sign of an intruder or anything else that was out of place. They would not find out until the morning that the school roosters had all been killed as well.

Harry was waiting up for Aurora when she finally came back to the Hospital wing a few hours later. He was wincing in pain as both Madam Pomfrey with Mrs. Norris and Aurora came in. "Is she?" Harry asked pointing to the cat.

"She's been petrified," Aurora answered and tapped his leg reapplying the numbing charm.

"Did you find anything? Was it a student?" Harry fired the questions off.

"No and we don't know," Aurora answered. She moved over to his bed and tucked him in. "You need to get to sleep and let your leg heal. As for what you heard tonight. Minerva asked that you do not share that with others."

"But what about that chamber thing," Harry asked.

"Don't worry about it we've found nothing. Now go to sleep." Aurora said. She stayed with him until he fell asleep and then left for her own quarters. Despite reassuring Harry she could not help but feel as though something was very wrong.

* * *

Harry was released to his common room following Halloween. Everyone was a buzz with rumors about the Chamber of Secrets. The main thing people were stuck on was the enemies of the heir part. Countless _Hogwarts: A History_ texts were taken out of peoples trunks and checked out of the library. They were to be disappointed when the Chamber was not mentioned except for a small footnote that it had never been found and belonged to Salazar Slytherin.

Harry sat with Wayne, Izzy, Susan and Neville in a small corner of the library. Looking through out _Hogwarts: A History_ but found nothing more than everyone else had. "I heard a voice right before we found Mrs. Norris and the message."

"Harry even in the wizarding world hearing voices isn't a good thing," Neville said just as quietly if not more so. He did not want any chance of this being overheard. People in the wizarding world that heard voices usually ended up looked in St. Mungo's.

"It wasn't in my head!" Harry said forcefully.

"Relax mate," Wayne said placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. "We believe you." And indeed they did. Harry had no reason to lie to them and something clearly had petrified Mrs. Norris.

"But why did only Harry hear it?" Susan asked as she closed _Hogwarts: A History_ giving in and admitting the book had failed them. All five of them had confused and worried looks on their faces. They could not think of reason why Harry would be the only one to hear the voice of the attacker.

By the time the next week was over the fever that had gripped Hogwarts over the Chamber of Secrets had mostly dissipated. No further attacks had happened but Malfoy had been a bit more lippy calling people mudbloods much more frequently. He had started to become much sneakier about it though, always assuring he was out of range from the teachers. The rumor was that he had received a howler from his parents over his behavior during the fight, not that they disapproved only that he had been caught, again.

The Gryffindor Slytherin Quidditch match also served to take the attention away from the blood splattered message on the wall. Incidentally Mr. Filch still had not been able to remove the writing from the wall. Harry and his friends were dressed in red for the day in support of Gryffindor against Slytherin. The match was being built up thanks to the Slytherins' new brooms. The Nimbus 2001's outstripped all the brooms of Gryffindor team members. They trooped up to the stands with sitting in the Gryffindor section with Neville.

"Hi Harry!" They were greeted by a tiny little first year with blond hair and a camera. He snapped a picture right in Harry's face blinding him. He blinked his eyes as the kid spouted off, "I'm Colin Creevey! I'm a Gryffindor! "My dad's a milkman, I'm the first wizard in the family! Even I thought you would be a Gryffindor."

Harry just starred at the first year in front of him. The starring continued until Harry finally said, "Hi. Don't take my picture," he tagged on, "please." The small Gryffindor boy looked as if someone told him Christmas was canceled. Harry turned the boy towards the match and looked at his friends. They looked like they were trying to hold back laughs. Izzy cracked first and then the others followed.

"You should see your face," Izzy said between laughs. Harry scowled at them and turned to watch. Lee Jordan had just announced the Slytherins. Harry along with everyone else in Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw, it seemed, booed the team. Harry rubbed his leg absently as he spied the blond head of Draco Malfoy. The addition of the Nimbus 2001's just made the Slytherin team viler in the minds of the students.

"Harry look who's here." Wayne said holding his omnioculars over to him. He pointed to the stands that held the teachers and visitors. In the visitors seating area sat Lucius Malfoy.

"He looks like his cane is shoved up his arse," Harry said handing the omnioculars back to Wayne.

"Probably checking on his investment. Merlin I hope they lose." Wayne said as Madam Hooch threw the Quaffle in the air. Gryffindor was a good team minus their seeker but five minutes into the game everyone could see who would win the game. The Gryffindor players were being beaten to the Quaffle, the Bludgers, but so far not the Snitch. Malfoy looked more interested in taunting the Gryffindor seeker than looking for the Snitch.

"Ooh that hurt," Wayne said as Fred finally got to a Bludger before the Slytherin beater by out maneuvering him. Fred's bludger nailed the Slytherin captain Flint in the side of his head. Flint slumped on his broom and fell down to the ground. The hit seemed to give Gryffindor a boost as well as a temporary advantage of seven on six. The Gryffindors charged down the pitch and the Chaser line of Spinnet, Bell, and Johnson worked together to score against the Slytherin goalie.

"40 to 10 Slytherin!" Lee Jordan announced.

George got to Bludger this time just as Bole hit it and George took a swing at it redirecting it to Flint. Flint who seemed to be disoriented as he came back into the air was not able to get out of the way. Flint was hit with a bludger to the side. Bole growled and kicked out at George hitting him in the leg.

"Foul! Called against Slytherin beater Bole! Spinnet takes the foul shout and scores! 40 to 20!" It seemed the Slytherins still could not lay off the fouls even when they were winning. That seemed to be the end of Gryffindor's luck though as Slytherin scored another three quick goals. Finally the snitch had been spotted and the two seekers took off after the Snitch. Malfoy realized he had quite the lead on the Gryffindor seeker and pulled up and started toying with him. It was Malfoy's mistake though as the Snitch took off back towards the seeker in red. He reach out and grabbed just as Malfoy flew past. The Gryffindor Seeker copied Bole and gave Malfoy an almighty kick to the side. Malfoy crumpled on his broom as Madam Hooch flew up to reprimand Gryffindor. Randy Betters did not seem to care though as he had the Snitch in his hand ending the game and giving Gryffindor the victory despite Slytherins brooms.

The students minus the Slytherins celebrated the Gryffindor victory in the stands. Wayne shoved Harry the omnioculars and pointed again to the visitor's stand again. Mr. Malfoy looked like he and swallowed something unpleasant and was glaring daggers at his son who was being berated by Flint on the pitch grounds. Harry and Wayne turned to each other and grinned before giving each other a high five.

"What?" Izzy asked.

"Mr. Malfoy doesn't look happy with his investment."

Izzy cackled a laugh, "Should have taught his son to gloat _after_ you win." Even Susan snickered at this. The group of five trooped back to the castle crowing with victory as was nearly everyone else. Those in green piped robes just glared at them and muttered about a certain Malfoy. The good feelings in the castle were not to last though as the next morning when they awoke aurors where in the castle and the news that Colin Creevey had been petrified.

* * *

The school was abuzz with the news that aurors were in the school. Never in recent history had Ministry workers step foot in the school in an official capacity. There were three aurors present searching the school. Kingsley Shacklebolt was the lead auror in charge of the investigation and with him were two more junior aurors, Aaron Cardiff and Mesut Shafiq. They seemed to concentrate their efforts on the second floor where Colin Creevey was found.

The Hufflepuffs made their way to History of Magic and passed by aurors Cardiff and Shafiq.

"Susan," Shafiq greeted the second year he had met many times through her aunt.

"Hi Mesut," Susan greeted with a bit of a blush as her fellow second years starred at the pair.

"Miss," Cardiff greeted he was the youngest of the aurors at the school. He had only been on the force for three years.

"Hey Cardiff. Have you guys found anything?" Susan asked. Everyone looked interested in the answer.

"Susan you know we can't share that information yet." Shafiq answered but at the same time gave Susan a little hand signal that meant they found nothing. It was something the aurors used to communicate when reporters were around.

Susan nodded, "Worth a shot," she gave them a small smile. The second year Hufflepuffs moved on to get to class. Susan whispered to Harry, Izzy, and Wayne, "They've found nothing."

"How can there be no trace," Harry wondered shaking his head in disbelief. "There's always something."

"Not when magic is involved," Izzy said just as quietly. They poured into the History of Magic classroom. They noticed the Ravenclaws seemed to be out of sorts. They all seemed to look extra tired as if they had been up studying all night. It reminded the Hufflepuffs of exam week. The Hufflepuffs themselves were more chatty than usual all it centering on the Chamber of Secrets.

"Alright so today we're going to talk about the Roman Gods. Now the Roman Gods are very similar to the Greek Gods. Most think all that's behind them is a name change but there is more to it than that. As with the Greek Gods the Roman Gods that people worshipped were at one time powerful witches and wizards that had become legends and those legends turned into myths. Why do you think they're so similar?" She asked the second years. She noticed that most of the class seemed to freeze when they realized she was not talking. They looked blankly at her and she sighed knowing they had not heard the question. She hazard a guess that they had not heard even the lecture she was giving.

"What's up with you guys today?" She asked as she still had their attention. The class of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs seemed to share a silent communication before one of the Ravenclaws raised their hand. "Mr. Boot?" Professor Winters asked.

"Can you tell us about the Chamber of Secrets?"

"Is this why you're all out of it today?" She asked more to herself than the children but they nodded slowly. "Alright I suppose since we're talking about myths it will fit in." The students looked excited and leaned forward in their desks to better hear.

"Hogwarts was established during the 10th century by four of the greatest witches and wizards of their time. They were Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. The four banded together to create Hogwarts, the premier school to teach young witches and wizards about their powers. Each founder as you know valued a certain trait. One founder, Salazar Slytherin also valued another aspect."

"Pure blood."

"Yes. Salazar Slytherin thought that school should only be open to those who had wizard parents. Or purebloods. The other three founders disagreed with Slytherin. Eventually the rift between them grew so great that Slytherin left the school forever."

"Before he left though he was said to have created a secret chamber within the school. The Chamber of Secrets. In this Chamber it was said that Salazar Slytherin left behind a beast that his heir would unleash upon the school cleansing it."

"Of muggle-borns," Justin Finch-Fetchly said with a gulp.

"Yes. However the school has been searched many times throughout the centuries and not one has ever produced the Chamber of Secrets." She looked at the seriously. "We have the aurors now looking into this. You will be safe in the school." The tone rang out signaling the end of class as she finished trying to reassure them.

"So what do you think?" Izzy asked her friends. "You think is it a beast?"

"What kind of a beast petrifies people?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. Want to hit the library tonight and try to find out," Wayne asked.

"Sounds cool we don't have any assignments tonight." Susan nodded.

So they found themselves in the library pouring over creature books. The five of them sat surrounded by books. The most promising one was an old encyclopedia called _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_. The encyclopedia featured every known beast to wizard kind. It had everything from mice to dragons.

"Well the only one close to it seems to be a gorgon." Susan said sitting back in her chair.

"Yeah but they turn people to stone not petrify them." Harry said reading the entry. He closed the book and sighed.

"But its got to be a snake and gorgon's have snake for hair." Neville added. "Slytherin was called serpent tongue."

Harry's head shot up like he had been shocked. "A snake. I have to go," He took off running out of the library getting yelled at by Madam Price. Harry ran through the corridors ignoring the protests of portraits. He skidded to a stop outside Aurora's office. "Mum," He pounded on the door.

Aurora threw it open with her wand out ready to curse anyone or anything. "What's wrong?" She asked panicked. She looked around and saw nothing and looked at Harry curiously.

"It's a snake!" Harry shouted.

"What?" Aurora asked thoroughly confused. Aurora ushered him into her quarters.

"It's a snake, the voice that I heard was a snake," Harry explained. "That's why couldn't hear it but you couldn't."

Aurora was still confused, "How did this come about?"

"So in history class Professor Winters told us that supposedly it's a beast in the Chamber of Secrets. So we went to the library to see if there are any animals that can petrify," Harry paused, "there aren't. And Neville called Slytherin serpent tongue because he could talk to snakes. It's a snake. That's why I can hear it."

"Okay Harry calm down." Aurora said rubbing her forehead. "Did you hear the snake last night?"

Harry deflated, "No." He admitted.

Aurora sat him down and she sat next to him, "Harry maybe what you heard was a snake hunting for a mouse. After all Mrs. Norris wasn't killed she was petrified. No animal can do that. It's far more likely it was a person." Harry looked disappointed and Aurora continued, "But I will tell the aurors and Minerva about the snake. Although you know that means informing people you can speak parseltongue?" Harry nodded. "For now try to put it out of your mind I highly doubt anything will happen with the aurors here. If you hear the snake again though I want to know about it. That means it's probably living in the castle as someone's illegal pet."

Harry looked at her curiously, "Why can't we have snakes as pets?"

"You'd really only be allowed certain pythons which can grow quite large and make a meal out of the smaller familiars. Plus special arrangements would have to be made in the winter for the snakes." She gave him a hug a before saying, "Why don't you go back to your friends and explain why you ran off."

"How did you know I ran off?" Harry asked.

"You were practically out of breath," Aurora said with a small smile.

"Do you think I should tell them I can talk to snakes?" Harry asked.

"That's up to you but I think they'll accept it." Aurora said giving him a squeeze. "Remember try to focus on your schooling not the Chamber, between the aurors and us teachers you should be fine."

Harry snorted, "Unless we're with Lockhart."

Aurora grinned, "You may have a point. Alright off you go."

Harry made his way back to the library debating the whole way if he should tell his friends he could speak to snakes. Harry got to the library and saw his friends looking worried and sighed, he probably should not have run off. He still was not quite used to having people care if he took off. Harry retook his seat to the stares of his friends. Izzy cocked an eyebrow at him and just waited as did the others.

"Sorry guys."

They nodded and Wayne asked, "What was the hurry?"

"Remember how I heard that voice but Mum didn't." More nods. "Well Neville's comment made me remember something."

"What?" Izzy asked.

Harry took a deep breath, "I can speak to snakes."

Their eyes widened and Neville spoke what was on all their minds, "Huh?"

Harry laughed a little, "I can speak to snakes, we found out when they took me to the zoo. I spoke to a boa at the reptile house. It was kind of disorienting hearing all the talking."

"Well shite." Wayne said.

"Yeah," Neville agreed with him.

"That's kind of cool actually. You can actually talk to an animal." Susan said giving Harry a small smile. Harry returned the smile with a large grin that lit up his face. Susan blushed a little while internally cursing her fair skin.

"So you think the monster is a snake too," Izzy concluded seemingly ignoring Harry's big announcement.

"Yeah but mum said that it could be a coincidence since I didn't hear it last night." His friends looked skeptical. "She said she would tell the aurors and Professor McGonagall."

"Well we did go through every snake," Susan said playing devil's advocate, "none of them petrify people."

"Maybe he invented a new type of snake." Neville said. "Herpo the Foul did it."

"Why would he invent a snake that could petrify if he was trying to get rid of muggle-borns?" Wayne asked.

"Maybe he's not as evil as we think?" Harry said before eyeing some older Slytherins messing with a Gryffindor first year before Madam Price came over to stop them. "Never mind." Harry said answering his own hypothetical.

"Maybe something's preventing it from killing?" Susan said as the tone for dinner rang. "Come on we should get to the Great Hall." They put their books back and left for the Great Hall. They like many others walked quickly through the halls and in a group. It was becoming rare to see students by themselves or with just one other person. They seemed to feel it was safer if they walked in groups, the only ones that seemed to feel completely safe were the Slytherins.

They made it to the Great Hall and this time Neville walked with them to the Hufflepuff table and sat down. By now no one really said anything about Neville's presence at the Hufflepuff table. As always though students waited for Neville to sit at the Hufflepuff table before they changed tables. Harry shook his head at the other students and dug into his roast beef. He looked up at Aurora and saw that Lockhart was bothering her again. Harry could tell by the set of her jaw, it happened whenever Harry got in trouble too. Most particularly when he, Wayne, and Neville put mice in her shower over break. It the first time Harry had earned grounding, not to mention he and his friends had to stand in a corner for a half hour. Harry looked around and caught the eye of George. Harry smirked and nodded towards Lockhart, George grinned getting the message.

* * *

Harry, George, Fred and Wayne sat in an abandoned classroom on the seventh floor. Filch hardly ever cleaned the seventh floor classrooms and Fred and George cast a notice me not charm on the door. They had to spend two days in the library researching the charm and then another week practicing by placing the charm on their classmates' things. It lead to a rather hilarious week in Gryffindor tower until they learned how to reverse it with the aptly named notice me charm. The result was many people passing by the classroom even when it was occupied by the four.

They were currently sitting in the room surrounded by books trying to find a suitable prank to play on Lockhart. "We could make his teeth fall out?" Wayne suggested.

Harry shivered, "No way skelegrow is painful stuff. We just want to prank him not hurt him, much." Harry snickered. "Although if he keeps chatting up my mum I might change my mind." Fred and George snickered this time as did Wayne. By now all three boys knew not to mention how beautiful Professor Sinistra was, last time Harry turned Fred's hair green for a week.

"Here's a charm to turn your feet into flippers for an hour," Fred said aloud. The others all made faces and went back to their books.

"How about a potion that makes you see pink bunnies?' George asked.

Harry looked at him and then shot up to look at the book, "Who invents a potion that makes you hallucinate bunnies?" Harry asked aloud. The others snickered at the thought. Harry looked it over, "Wendelin the Weird."

Wayne laughed, "I have a Chocolate Frog Card of her. She liked to get caught during the witch trials and be burned at the stake." Harry looked mystified. "She used a flame freezing charm on it."

"It tickles," Fred and George said in unison. Harry gave them an appraising look and they gave him identical grins.

"So pink bunnies?" Wayne asked getting them back on track.

"Yeah who knows maybe we'll get him fired for seeing things." Harry said with a grin. "We'll have to order some ingredients. Prickly spine tulips and niffler hair isn't in our potion kits. I can use Aurora's owl, Hedwig."

"We'll chip in a few nuts," Fred and George both took some coins out of their pockets.

"Same here," Wayne said.

Harry took the coins and nodded his thanks, "I let you know when I get the stuff."

Fred and George shared a look, "We need a better way to communicate."

"I was thinking that too," Wayne said with a nod.

"Any ideas?" Harry asked the three.

"It's too bad walkie's don't work in Hogwarts." Wayne said.

"What?" Fred and George asked.

"Walkie Talkies, two way radios. They're hand held and you can talk to each other over long distances." Wayne explained to the twins. The two fourth years put their heads together.

"Let us think about it and we'll see what we can do," George said. The twins were devious inventors. They were working on what they called skivving snacks, designed to get people out of class. The twins also had a variety of fake wands that turned into all sorts of things, including a muggle rubber chicken.

"Hey while we're waiting for this how about we use your fake wands on Lockhart."

"Yeah we can copy his wand easily but how will we get them to him?" Fred asked.

"I'll talk to the house elves," Harry said.

"How do you get the elves to do all this for you?" Wayne asked shaking his head in disbelief.

"I dunno, they like me," Harry said with a shrug. "And they like the twins." The twins grabbed one of Lockhart's books with his picture and set about changing their fake wands to look like Lockhart's. All it took was a few quick transfigurations and they had several fake Lockhart wands sitting in front of them. Harry grabbed the wands up when they were finished and parted ways with Wayne following him downstairs and the twins making their way to Gryffindor tower.

Harry tickled the pear to allow entrance into the kitchens where the house elves could always be found. He walked into the kitchen with Wayne and was immediately greeted by excitable house elves. "Master Harry and Master Wayne have come to visit!" Was chorused throughout the kitchen. Harry grinned crookedly at the house elves and Wayne gave them a little wave.

A younger house elf practically bounced over to Harry, "Sirs Harry and Wayne 'ello!" The young house elf was buzzing in place. "What cans Trixie do for yous?" She asked with a grin of her own.

"Hey Trixie," Harry bent down and gave the little elf a hug. Wayne gave her a fist bump. Trixie was the one to help them on all their pranks so far. The elf had quiet the mischievous side to her. "We've got a bigger task for you this time if you're up to it?" Harry asked.

"Trixie be up to it," She rocked on her heels.

"We need you to randomly replace Lockhart's wand with these," Harry showed her the fake wands.

"Whats do they do?" Trixie eyed the wands.

"They're fake wands, they turn into things when you try a spell." Harry explained.

"Trixie be doing it." Trixie took the wands from Harry.

"Thanks, Trixie." Both Wayne and Harry said before bidding her farewell and leaving for the nearby Hufflepuff dorms.

* * *

The next day Harry and Wayne sat in Lockhart's class trying to stay awake. He was explaining how he defeated the Yeti using Ernie as the Yeti. "And with a flick of my wand, like so," He flicked his wand and with a pop he was holding a rubber chicken. It gave a loud deflating squawk. The class of second year Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors burst out laughing at Lockhart. Professor Lockhart looked at the rubber chicken in his hand with a look of shock.

"What but my wand?" He said under his breath. He looked around and saw another version of his wand on the desk and he picked it up carefully. He gave it a little twirl in Ernie's laughing direction, nothing happened. He was still holding a wand and not a rubber chicken. He gave a false laugh. "Very funny. Now where was I, ah yes. I flicked my wand at him and hit him with an incendio and he ran off in a jiffy." The tone rang and the students practically bolted from the room still laughing.

The next night at dinner Lockhart attempted to spell his soup warmer. The wand he was holding turned into a pickle. The laughter at the Head Table drew the attention of the students who saw Lockhart waving the pickle while he was talking and started them laughing. Lockhart flushed red and picked up his actual wand sitting next to his plate to cast the spell. He cast it with such intense heat the soup started fire and Professor McGonagall quickly put it out and then gave Professor Lockhart a scathing look.

There were several more incidents throughout the week involving Lockhart and his wand. Twice it happened during class leading to some hilarious versions of the story which were almost as hilarious for the students as the prank. By the end of the week Lockhart was left holding a baby dragon and a King Cobra when really they turned into a banana and a rubber duck. The Professor could also be seen holding his wand in a death grip with his eyes darting around widely. He could not figure out how his wand was being changed and Harry, the twins, and Wayne were amazed by the ingenuity of house elves.

 **A/N: Hope you all are enjoying**


	4. Chapter 4

"So add the niffler hair and stir three times counter-clockwise." Harry read the potion out loud to Fred who was in charge of this one. The Weasley twins were surprisingly good at potions and many other subjects. Their grades certainly did not show and it made Harry wonder who would truly be first in their year if the twins applied themselves. The twins spent most of their time inventing new products instead of doing their assignments. Fred took the potion off the heat and it turned the correct bubblegum pink color. "Nice," Harry said giving Fred a high five. They ladled out the potion into the vial and Harry pocketed it.

"Hey guys we found a charm for Malfoy," Wayne said looking up.

"Remember that language correcting charm mum used on Ron last year," George asked Fred.

"Yeah," Fred said with a smirk forming.

"We'll charm him so that whenever he goes to say mudblood he'll say fluffy bunny." George said.

"Fluffy bunny?" Harry asked

"You have something better that's nice to say?" George asked. Harry shook his head. "Besides we thought it would go nicely with Lockhart's pink bunnies."

"Works for me," Fred said. "Maybe they'll even think Malfoy did the prank on Lockhart."

"It's fine but we need more to do to Malfoy, he tripped me down the stairs," Harry said with a sneer. He really wanted to corner the little creep and beat the ever living hell out him.

"Oh that's just the first part of the plan," George said. "We also curse that makes you wet the bed for a week. And a potion that will turn the drinker into a rat for a day. Then there's a time delayed vanishing charm. We figured we cast it so his clothes vanish in the Great Hall." Harry's grin widened with each new aspect of the everlasting prank.

"Little ferret won't know what hit him," Harry said gleefully.

"We'll charm him tonight, sneak into the Slytherin dorms," Fred and George said as they held on to the Marauder's Map.

"And we'll get the potion to Trixie." Harry said. The four boys grinned and each other before leaving their classroom. Harry cast a notice me not charm and their things that were stored in a corner. Wayne cast one on the door as they left. The twins had taught the two the charm throughout the year. The two second years had finally gotten the charm right yesterday. They parted ways with the Gryffindors going one way and the Hufflepuffs the other.

The next day saw Lockhart acting squirrely all day. He would blink his eyes rapidly and rub his temples and randomly shout bunny. He also asked anyone within range about why there were pink bunnies all over Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall sent to the hospital wing after asking him if he consumed any mushrooms lately, he said no, she did not believe him. Professor Lockhart was put on probation after Madam Pomfrey found mushrooms in his system. Harry and Wayne shared a look when they found that out, they would have to make sure they threw those left over mushrooms out. Fred and George might feed them to Ron otherwise.

In other news many fellow second years and first years were highly confused when Draco Malfoy started calling them bunnies, much to the blond ponce's confusion. Unfortunately for him Professor McGonagall overheard him and thought that maybe he had something to do with Professor Lockhart's consumption of mushrooms. She kept a close watch on him so that he was hardly able to do anything else. Then the whole school nearly threw up upon seeing the skinny, pale, body of Draco Malfoy during breakfast.

* * *

Harry stood in the tunnel leading out of the locker rooms trying to focus on nothing but the bat in his hand. Lockhart, the Chamber, none of that matter right now, right now he needed to focus on pulverizing the Ravenclaw Quidditch players. Hufflepuff's first game was today and it was against the boys and girls in powder blue. It was snowing out making for less than ideal conditions. Cedric had just cast warming charms on all his players.

"Right mates we know their strategies and were prepared for this so let's get out there and win this!" Cedric finished with a yell. The rest of the team yelled back a cheer of Hufflepuff and grabbed their brooms heading out the doors of the locker room.

Harry and the other new players stopped short and starred at the crowded stadium. It was vastly different being on the other side of the cheering and jeering of the crowd. Cedric looked at them with a grin, "It's a rush!" He shouted to be heard and leapt onto his broom flying off with Artie. The rest of the team followed with Wayne and Harry bringing up the rear with their beater bats. Harry could hear Lee Jordan announcing their names as they flew out. Ravenclaw was already out on the pitch. The two Ravenclaw beaters were both older then Harry and Wayne, one Duncan Inglebee and Jason Samuels. Inglebee was a fifth year and Samuels was sixth year. They were both quite a bit larger than Harry and Wayne but the two second years were full of piss and vinegar.

Harry flew up to take his position when Madam Hooch signaled them. He was lined up across from Wayne with the Chasers in between them. The balls were released and the snitch flew up but Harry quickly but the little gold ball out of his mind. He whacked a Bludger at Davies knocking him out of the scrum for the Quaffle. Wayne beat out Inglebee for the other Bludger and took knocked it into Stretton. The Hufflepuff Chasers took the Quaffle down the pitch while Ravenclaw was recuperating.

"Natsumi scores! 10 to 0, Hufflepuff!"

Harry flew around the pitch hammering Bludgers at any player that wore blue in his sights. He flew forward and a Bludger came his way, he quickly maneuvered his broom around to let him hit the Bludger away. It hit Stretton in the back causing him to lose his spot in the Ravenclaw formation. Summers picked off the pass intended for Stretton and went streaking down the pitch with Wayne and Harry covering him. Harry flew at a Bludger and took a swing but he was hit with the other Bludger in his outstretched arm. The hit left Samuels to deal with the Bludger uncontested. Samuels blasted the iron ball at Stebbins hitting him in the side, probably cracking a couple ribs or at least bruising them. Harry winced for his teammate and zoomed after another Bludger.

The Bludger Harry was chasing suddenly jerked upwards and around coming straight for Harry. Harry moved his broom abruptly and lined up a shot. He connected with the Bludger but it only sailed a few feet before it turned and headed back towards Harry. Harry whacked at the Bludger again with similar results. He kept at until his arm tired and by then the team had noticed something was wrong, most of the stadium had. Harry turned his broom on a dime and fled the Bludger bent on aiming for him. He took off racing away and taking the Bludger that was tracing him away from the other players. Harry evaded the Bludger pulling off moves he had only seen so far and not attempted. He noted the rest of the game seemed to stop as he tried to out fly the magically enchanted iron ball. He shot up and then quickly flattened out into a dive. He speed towards the ground as fast as he could with the Bludger speeding along behind him. He pulled out of his dive as his feet scrapped the ground and the Bludger slammed into the dirt embedding itself into the dirt.

Harry paused his flight noticing the Bludger struggling to free itself from feet of dirt. Running towards him was his mum followed by the Headmistress. Aurora had her wand out and fired it at the Bludger. The spell washed over the Bludger leaving it docile and placid, lying on the ground unmoving. Harry flew back over to them and looked down warily at it.

"Harry are you alright?" Aurora asked.

"Yeah."

"Somebody tampered with the Bludger," Madam Hooch said as she looked it over casting spells on it. "Compulsion charm." She said looking at the Headmistress. Professor McGonagall cast a spell at the Bludger and she seemed rocked by it's results.

"I have what I need. Reenchant the Bludger and continue the game," Professor McGonagall said. By now the both teams were hovering nearby and gave a cheer. Harry flew over by his teammates to get ready for the rare reset in a Quidditch match, reserved for just such occasions.

"Nice flying Harry," Cedric said grinning. "If you weren't so good at Beater I'd say we should make you seeker." Harry laughed with the others.

Madam Hooch enchanted the Bludger, once it was safely nestled in its case with the other Bludger. She grabbed the Quaffle and had the teams reset in their starting positions. She rereleased the Bludgers and threw the Quaffle up. The Snitch was still zooming around pitch. Cedric was scanning for it as the game began again.

Harry zoomed after a Bludger and this time when he delivered the almighty smack it went flying away and crashed into Davies. Davies lost his grip on the Quaffle and it dropped down as Natsumi and Stretton fought it out over the Quaffle and Natsumi came out with it. She flew down the pitch with it and passed to Summers. Summers shot and scored through the left hoop. "140 to 120 Hufflepuff!" Lee Jordan announced.

"Diggory's seen the Snitch! He dives followed quickly by Change. They zoom left then right then right again. Flattening out against their brooms on a straight away. Diggory's ahead by inches and swipes the Snitch out of the sky! Hufflepuff wins! 290 to 120!" Harry and the Hufflepuff team swarmed Cedric and lifted him onto Stebbins shoulders. They started chanting Hufflepuff and it was taken up by the Hufflepuff students in the crowd. Harry's smile was megawatt as he helped keep Cedric in the air. Wayne took Cedric's broom and tossed it over his shoulder as they made their way to the locker rooms. They stopped just long enough to shower and change before heading to the common room.

The team came into the common room surprised to see a party in full swing. Hufflepuff did not typically celebrate every win with a party, no one like the twins in Gryffindor was there to seek into Hogsmeade to provide the food and drink. Harry and Wayne found Izzy and Susan sipping Butterbeer at their usual couch.

"Congrats guys!" Izzy launched herself at the two and they caught her. Harry and Wayne grinned at her. Susan more sedately raised her glass at the two. The common room was hopping and the two boys released Izzy to find their own Butterbeers, Wayne got a frozen version of the drink while Harry's was warmed. Harry took a sip and let it warm his entire body.

"So do we know who threw the party?" Harry asked sipping his Butterbeer while receiving congratulations from many of the Hufflepuffs enjoying themselves.

A House elf popped into existence near Harry and bowed low looking close to tears. "We's hoping Master Harry not change his mind about us house elves. So we's made the party."

Harry looked confused, "Why would I change my mind about you guys?" He knelt down next to the elf.

"Cause the bad house elf, not Hogwarts elf, cursed yous Bludger." The House elf pulled on his ears nervously.

Something clicked in Wayne's head, "Harry!"

Harry nodded, "The house elf that was in your room." Harry had forgotten all about it the elf from before the beginning of school. Now though the warning came back in full force.

"Bad elf that curse Bludger bothered you before?"

Harry looked at the little elf with concern in his eyes, he was really upset. "Yes but he was trying to warn me not hurt me. Warn me about plots at the school."

Susan's eyes widened, "Harry," she said urgently putting it together. Harry nodded without looking at her.

"Don't worry Mills," Harry put his hand on Mills' skinny shoulder, "I'm not mad at you guys. And thanks for the party." Mills bounced happily then popped away. "I need to go talk to mum." Harry said and handed his Butterbeer to Wayne. Harry slipped out of the Hufflepuff common room and made his way up through secret passageways. He came out near his mum's private quarters. He knocked urgently on the door and then spoke the password, "Orion's Belt." The door swung open revealing Aurora making her way over to the door. He saw Aunt Minnie sitting in the seating area with Professor Sprout.

"Harry what is it? According to Professor Sprout there's a party going on for you guys." Aurora asked pulling him in for a hug.

Harry looked at the three of them and said, "It was a house elf that cursed the Bludger after me."

They looked confused before Minerva stood and asked, "How did you know?"

"One of the house elves came in to make sure I wouldn't be mad at the house elves for the Bludger being cursed by one who didn't worked for Hogwarts."

Aunt Minnie sighed, "I've never seen a relationship with the house elves like yours."

Harry snorted, "More people should try being nice to them."

"And save them from Voldemort," Aurora said shaking her head.

"Yeah that too." Harry said shaking his own head. "But that's not why I came. The House elf wasn't from Hogwarts just like the one who was in Wayne's room before school. The one who warned me about plots at Hogwarts." As he said it both Minerva and Aurora paled having forgotten about the elf as well, with so much going on.

"What?" Professor Sprout asked standing to move over by the three.

"I woke up with a house elf standing over me and warning me not to go back to Hogwarts," Harry explained.

"We never did figure out who's elf it was." Aurora muttered. "Do you really think he knew about the Chamber being opened?"

"It would have to be. And it will limit the suspects for the aurors." Aunt Minnie said.

"And clear Hagrid." Professor Sprout said before she remembered Harry was in the room. She looked penitent as Minerva shot her a look. Harry just looked curiously at her.

"How could anyone suspect Hagrid?"

"Because fifty years ago he was convicted of opening the chamber and the causing the death of a fellow student." Aurora said knowing Harry would end up figuring it out anyways. Harry just starred at her with disbelief. "Yes I believe that just as much as you do. But the arrest and conviction stands on record."

"But it's Hagrid, he wouldn't hurt anyone."

"Yes but he also thinks a dragon would make a good pet," Aunt Minnie reminded him. "And he was caught with an Acromantula."

"What's an acromantula?" Harry asked.

"A giant poisonous spider." Aurora said flatly.

"Right," Harry drew the word out while he shuddered. He didn't even like little teeny tiny spiders let alone a giant one. "I'm not sleeping tonight." Aurora, Minerva, and Professor Sprout all smothered a laugh but also shared similar thoughts as Harry.

"I will make sure this information gets to the aurors," Aunt Minnie said pulling Harry in for a hug. Harry hugged back and gave Professor Sprout a small wave. He went over to Aurora and gave her hug.

"Goodnight, little man," Aurora said just to him and pulled him into a tight hug.

* * *

Harry and the others trooped down to the dungeons for potions. Nobody was particularly happy as this was the potions block they shared with the Slytherins. It was also winter and the dungeons were freezing as usual. The only thing Harry wanted to do was curl up in a ball with a big fluffy blanket and drink hot cocoa. Instead they still had a week until the Yule break.

"Welcome, welcome, come on in where it's warm," Slunghorn was there to usher them into the classroom with a smile on his face. It was no wonder why everyone's potion grade had gone up at least one letter. They walked into the potions classroom and sighed in relief at the warmth of the room. They shed their outer cloaks it was so warm in the class, the one bad thing about Hogwarts, it got cold.

"Today we're going to brew the swelling solution." Professor Slughorn said making his way to the front of the class. "Time to show me what we've been studying for the last week." Slughorn actually took the time to teach them about the potion before they brewed it which ensured at least two less exploding cauldrons a potion.

Harry walked to the front of the classroom and gathered his ingredients. There were only three for this potion. Dried nettles, puffer fish eyes, and bat spleens. Harry made a face as he gathered his fish eyes and bat spleens. Professor Slughorn looked rather amused by the faces being made by the class.

Harry set his ingredients down on his desk space and placed his cauldron on the flame. He took out his mortar and pestle. He added two scoops of dried nettles to the mortar and then three puffer fish eyes. He picked up the pestle and started crushing the mixture. He looked at Wayne and saw his friend looked to be thoroughly enjoying crushing his mixture if the smile on his face was anything to go by. Harry kept crushing, making sure to keep using an up and down motion to do so. According to Slughorn's teaching there were certain ways to crush or ground a mixture and mixing them up could be detrimental to the potion. Harry added the medium-fine mixture to the cauldron. He kept the heat on medium for twenty seconds before taking it off. Now he had to let it sit for hour.

He started working on his potions assignment. He had an essay on the swelling solution due at the end of the week. Most of the class was working on an assignment of some sort. Harry's watch dinged letting him know his hour was up. He added his bat spleen to the potion and stirred four times anti-clockwise. Harry was looking down at his potion and did not see the flying object that landed in his cauldron. Harry dived back as it exploded sending his potion everywhere.

Screams were heard as people hit with the swelling solution and they started swelling. Harry's hands started swelling as Professor Slughorn rushed over to give a deflating draught to students. Harry noticed Malfoy smirking at him with his bodyguards laughing. Harry glared back at them as Professor Slughorn took care of his hands. Professor Slughorn looked in Harry's cauldron and fished out the firework. Every Slytherin scrambled to look busy and clear their face of laughter.

Professor Slughorn face morphed into one of anger, "If I find out which one of you did this, I'll have you expelled." Harry noticed Draco pale a little and his eyes narrowed. Draco had just earned himself another series of pranks. "There's enough of your potion left that you can turn in Potter." Slughorn said siphoning some out into a vial.

"Thank you sir," Harry said with a nod and he meant it. Snape would have probably given him a zero for the day. With the excitement over class ended and as Malfoy walked past Harry, Harry stuck his leg out sending the blond boy sprawling. Slughorn was helping Oliver with something. Draco took down one the gargoyles by his side and Crabbe landed on Draco.

"Get off me," Draco shoved Crabbe, Crabbe barely moved. Malfoy shot up with his slicked back hair out of place and his robes ruffled. He got into Harry's face but some of the dramatic flare was lost as Harry was taller than him.

"What seems to be the problem here?" Slughorn asked coming over.

"He," Draco sneered the word, "tripped me."

"Did anyone see you get tripped?" Slughorn asked. He looked at the class. Draco nearly spluttered with rage when the whole class shook their heads no.

"Be more careful where you place your feet," Professor Slughorn said with a bit of a smile. The class held their snickers in but only just.

"Did you see his face," Wayne laughed as they walked through the halls.

"Or his hair," Isobel said laughing. "It was sticking straight up from Crabbe." They laughed as they walked into the Hufflepuff common room to leave their stuff in their dorms. They passed the noticed board and Harry stopped the group.

"Hey guys look," Harry pointed to the notice that read, "Dueling Club starting Friday."

"Cool who do you think it's going to be teaching us?" Wayne asked.

"Just as long as it's not Lockhart, I don't really care," Isobel snarked.

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me," Isobel said and turned to walk out of the Great Hall. Susan and Harry. Professor Lockhart was standing up on raised platform with Professor Flitwick. Lockhart was dressed in periwinkle blue dueling robes and looked ridiculous. Flitwick was dressed in plain black dueling robes and seemed to be looking at Lockhart with annoyance.

"Professor Flitwick is here too," Susan said. "It can't be too bad."

"Yeah maybe Professor Flitwick will finish him off for us," Wayne added with his cocky grin.

"Plus Professor Flitwick was a dueling champion," Harry quietly put in his two cents.

Isobel sighed, "Fine. But I swear I'll accidently hit with a curse if he comes near me." Harry and Wayne laughed while Susan rolled her eyes. They met up with Neville inside the doors.

It looked like the whole school had turned out for the dueling club. Harry led them through the throng of students and found a relatively close place near the platform. The Weasley twins pushed their way through the crowd with the three Gryffindor Chasers following them.

"Hey Harry, Wayne, Neville," Fred and George greeted the pair. "Miss Susan, Miss Izzy." They said with matching grins and little bows. The two second year girls rolled their eyes.

"Hey guys," They greeted the Gryffindor group.

"Gather round, gather round," Gilderoy Lockhart's voice rang throughout the hall. "Can everyone hear me? Can everyone see me?" He said flipping his hair as he turned on the platform. There were some confirming shouts from the crowd. "Good now Headmistress McGonagall has given me," Professor Flitwick cleared his throat and shot Lockhart a look, "and Professor Flitwick," he added hastily, "permission to start this little club in light of recent events." Harry looked around during his little speech and noticed only Auror Cardiff was in the Great Hall. The others were probably doing another sweep of the school. Susan said the aurors were getting rather frustrated with the whole thing.

"Now Professor Flitwick has gladly consented to be my partner for this demonstration." Professor Lockhart gave Professor Flitwick a little clap that was echoed by the Ravenclaw students in the hall. Professor Flitwick gave a short bow.

"Yes, now," Lockhart said loudly pulling the attention in the room back to himself. "How about a demonstration?" He asked and spun on his feet. Flitwick and Lockhart went to opposite ends of the platform. Both took up dueling stands.

Professor Flitwick fired off his spell first, "Expelliarmus." The spell flew at Lockhart and the force of it knocked him back and sent his wand flying into the crowd.

Lockhart regained his balance and fixed his hair. He went over to the first year who caught his wand and got it back. "Thank you. Now that was pretty obvious what you were going to do and had I wanted to stop you I assure you I could." Lockhart said trying to save face.

Harry looked at Wayne, "Sure he could," he muttered. Wayne chuckled.

"Perhaps it would be prudent to teach the students how to block unfriendly spells first," Professor Flitwick proposed.

"Right if you be so good as to show them the incantation." Lockhart suggested.

"Fire the spell then," Flitwick prompted his fellow Professor.

"Expelliarmus," Lockhart fired the disarming charm at the small professor.

"Protego," Flitwick shouted for the benefit of the Great Hall. The spell instead of disarming the Flitwick bounced harmlessly off his shield with a small flash. "Your incantation is protego and there are no wand movements."

"Pair up and try to block an unfriendly spell." Lockhart said much to Flitwick's annoyance as immediately spells started flying through the Great Hall.

Harry looked at Wayne with boredom, they had all mastered the protego charm already and the disarming charm. "Might as well practice," Harry shrugged. He and Wayne squared off while Neville paired with Katie Bell and Susan and Isobel went against each other.

"Expelliarmus,"

"Protego." The boys went back and forth numerous times. Professor Flitwick came around just as Harry slipped his disarming charm past Wayne who was to slow on his shield charm. The wand flew at Harry and he caught it out of the air. Harry grinned at Wayne and winked throwing him back his wand.

"Very nicely done, Mr. Potter," Flitwick said. Flitwick then looked around and placed his wand to his throat. When he spoke his voice was amplified, "Stop!" Everyone froze, well as much as they could some people were hopping along or had their legs seemingly tap dancing out of control. Harry stifled a laugh as he saw Millicent Bulstrode had Hermione Granger in a headlock and had resorted to muggle fighting. He turned to Fred and George and this time did laugh out loud. Fred was orange from head to toe and George had flowers instead of hair. Both boys just grinned at Harry perfectly content to leave the spells in place. Flitwick and Lockhart, well just Flitwick, went around and ended the spells or separated combatants.

"How about a demonstration pair," Flitwick said and saw all the students nodding that would be helpful. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Hopkins. Hop up here," Professor Flitwick motioned them up. Wayne and Harry were allowed through the crowd and each hopped up on to the platform. "Go take your dueling stances."

"Ah shouldn't we have some of the older years," Lockhart cut in. Professor Flitwick silenced him with a look.

"Now look at the way they are prepared to start. Most of you were turned towards your opponent leaving you open. This insurance them less of a target." Flitwick said. He and Lockhart moved to the side of the platform. "Begin."

Harry got his curse off first, "Expelliarmus."

"Protego," Wayne blocked the curse and fired off, "Tarantallegra."

"Protego, petrificus totalus, expelliarmus," Harry's second curse hit Wayne as Wayne moved to cast a hex. Harry caught Wayne's wand in his outstretched hand. Cheers came from the crowd as they clapped for Harry. Harry grinned and did a little bow.

Draco Malfoy snorted and pushed his way onto the platform and pushed Wayne off. "You're not so tough Potter. Locomotor Mortis." He flung the spell at Harry. Harry shielded the spell.

"Mr. Malfoy!" Professor Flitwick moved to intervene.

"Serpensortia," Malfoy's spell summoned an angry cobra that landed hissing on the platform. Harry could hear the snake hissing in anger.

"I'll get rid of it," Lockhart said pointing his wand at it.

Harry pushed his arm down and cast, "Petrificus totalus," at the snake. The snake seized up and froze falling against the platform.

Professor Flitwick sighed and shook his head, "That's enough dismissed!" He turned to Malfoy. "And you Mr. Malfoy have earned yourself another week of detentions and fifty points from Slytherin." He turned from the fuming boy and walked over to Wayne and Harry.

Wayne was looking at the snake, "Nice one Harry. It's a cobra!"

"Mr. Hopkins please back away from the venomous snake." Professor Flitwick said before casting, "Vipera Evanesco." The snake vanished from the platform. "Are you okay Mr. Potter?"

"Yes sir," Harry said with an easy grin.

"Good ten points to both of you for your demonstration." Harry and Wayne gave each other a high five. They hopped down where Susan and Isobel were waiting for them.

"Malfoy's not going to learn is he," Iz said looking at the pale boy stomping away from the Great Hall.

"At this rate he'll have detention until the end of the year." Susan added. She looked around and seeing no one around said, "Nice handling of the snake. For a second I feared you might talk to it."

"I'm not that thick, especially since your aunt swore the aurors to secrecy." The four split from Neville and made their way down to the Hufflepuff common room. Harry tapped the barrels and the four went into the common room.

"That was a waste of time," Izzy said as she flopped down on a couch in the Hufflepuff common room.

"There were too many people to do anything productive," Susan echoed her sentiments.

"Not to mention we already learned those spells." Harry added to the discussion. He got up and disappeared into his dorm for a moment to grab a book. He came back and made himself comfortable on the floor in front of the couch Izzy and Susan were sitting on. Wayne had moved to play chess against Ollie. Harry cracked open Moste Pontente Potions, since having Professor Slughorn Harry had developed more of an interest in potions. He had expressed that interest to Slughorn and Izzy both had recommended reading the book simply to see what else could be done with potions, just in case he wanted to go farther with the subject one day. They were trying to convert the boy.

Harry found all the potions interesting and some seemed dead useful. The Polyjuice potion was one of the most interesting allowing you to turn into someone else. Harry as any twelve year old boy, thought of the wonderful pranking abilities that could go along with the potion. There was also a Fire-breathing potion, laxative potion that again could be used for pranking, he was thinking Malfoy, and his favorite so far, one that made you spontaneously burst into song and dance. It only took two weeks to brew and if he convinced Izzy, he was sure she and the twins could brew the potion.

"Hey Iz?" Harry prompted quietly. He interrupted her and Susan's conversation.

"Yes Harry," She said in an annoyed voice before cracking a smile at him.

"You know how you said you might help us prank?"

She eyed the book in his hands and then him before nodding slowly, "Yes," she said slowly.

"I want to prank the school." He passed the book up to her. Susan leaned over to read it too.

"Song and dance," She muttered. She read over the potion and it's instructions. "It's tricky but I can do it with some help. It's going to take more than one person to brew if we don't want to get caught disappearing all the time.

"Got it covered," Harry whistled.

Izzy looked at Susan who shrugged but had a small smile playing on her face. "Let's do it. Before or after break?"

"After," Susan said. "We'll need a pick me up in there." Harry grinned at Susan and stuck his hand up getting a high five from her. They chatted for another hour before going their separate ways to bed.

* * *

Harry stretched across the seat of the train compartment and over Wayne and Neville. He smirked at them and Wayne rolled his eyes tossing Harry's legs down. Harry laughed and moved so his feet were propped up on the seat empty across from him and next to Susan. Susan looked at his ratty old Chucks.

"Harry there are holes in these shoes." Susan said looking at them. "I can see your red socks."

Harry shrugged, "I outran the bobbies in these shoes."

"You need a new pair," Susan replied.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

The two went back in forth for nearly a minute before Izzy threw her hands up, "Enough! Harry you're getting a new pair!" She said and gave him the evil eye and Susan added her own to the mix. She then whipped her wand out and levitate the shoes of him. Wayne grinned and held Harry down while Izzy tossed the shoes out the window. "Now you have too." She said sweetly. Harry looked outraged and stuck his head out the window only to groan as he realized they were on a bridge over a ravine. He sat back down this time in the empty seat next to Susan and stuck his feet up right in Izzy's face.

"Now you get to smell my feet for the whole ride," He laughed as Izzy tried to move and squirm out of the way. Harry just kept sticking his feet in her face, "Oh you like it."

"Merlin I hope not." Susan laughed ducking under his legs and moving over to Wayne and Neville's side. Soon the whole compartment dissolved into fits of laughter the loudest being Harry and Izzy who had decided to finish their fight by tickling each other. Harry had the upper hand when their compartment door was thrown open rather violently.

Standing in the door way was none other than the blond ponce of Hogwarts Draco Malfoy himself, well one them this year. Harry righted himself and Izzy and stood up as did Wayne and Neville.

"The mudblood and bloodtraitors." Malfoy bit out though he looked a bit happy when the word mudblood actually came out mudblood.

"What do you want Malfoy?" Wayne barked out the words.

"I know it was you," Draco sneered.

"What was me?" Harry asked the blond boy.

"The pranks, I know you it was you!" Draco was getting angrier.

"What pranks? Don't blame your wetting the bed on others. It's not our fault your mummy didn't potty train you right." Harry was ready for the spell that Draco fired.

"Morsus." Draco shouted.

"Protego." The stinging jinx bounced off his shield and into the compartment side.

Goyle charged at Wayne who shot his own spell off, "Locomotor Mortis." His leg-locker curse hit Goyle and sent him toppling over and into the compartment.

Crabbe charged at Neville and was hit by three spells one from Neville, the dancing leg jinx, Iz hit him with petrificus totalus, and Susan hit him with the boil hex. He fell petrified with his legs at odd angles and boils growing.

Draco froze now that both his body guards were down. Harry took his chance, "Expelliarmus." He disarmed Draco and caught the wand tossing it to Wayne. Harry stepped forward and pulled Draco close to him by his robes. "Let me tell you what I know. I know it was you who tripped me down the stairs. You broke my leg be happy I don't break yours." Harry said in a deathly quiet but serious voice. Harry pushed him back out of the compartment causing Draco to fall into the wall opposite them. A crowd had gathered to watch and started clapping at the display and cheering. Harry and Wayne rolled out Goyle and Crabbe and shut the compartment door in everyone's face. Somebody took pity on the boys and ended the spells on them, all but the boil hex which required a potion. The three Slytherin boys turned tail and ran off presumably to get Crabbe some help.

"Well," Izzy said, "that was fun."

"Do you think he'll learn his lesson?" Susan asked as the boys sat back down.

Harry gave a laugh, "No Malfoy's about as sneaky as a bull."

"How he got sorted into Slytherin is a mystery," Neville said shaking his head.

"No other house would take him or tolerate his bullshite." Wayne said. "Could you imagine him pulling that superior shite in the common room?" Wayne asked shaking his head a little.

"The seventh years would kill him," Izzy grinned at the thought.

"Same in Gryffindor. There's one kid Cormac McLaggen he just got beat down from the Chasers. It was hilarious he was trying to tell them how to play their position better." Neville said with a smile on his face.

Harry and Wayne both looked at him as if they did not quite believe him, "But the Chasers are the best line in the school." Neville just shrugged.

"He's not the smartest person but his dad is well connected with the minister."

Wayne looked at Neville, "He done anything to you?"

"Besides be a prick? No. He finds us younger years beneath him." Neville answered.

"Maybe we should prank him," Wayne looked at Harry. Harry gave a nod and grin.

"Speaking of pranking Iz you're picking up the supplies right?" Harry asked his friend.

"Yep," She said with a nod. Harry pulled out some sickles and handed them over to her.

"Here's the money from us."

"Thank you sir." She said with a smile and pocketed the money. "The train's slowing down." The kids got up from their seats as the train stopped. They made their way to the storage area and fought through the crowd to grab their stuff before backing out to find their parents. Harry found Cyril easily, he was one of the tallest men in the train station. And standing near Cyril were all his friends parents. Mrs. Hopkins was there, Dowager Longbottom, and the MacDougals. Susan was coming home with Harry until her aunt got off work.

"Over there," Harry pointed to Cyril and gave the man a wave. The five friends made their way over to their parents. Harry was grabbed into a hug by Dawn when he was in reach.

"It's good to see you," Dawn said as she hugged him. Harry happily complied with the hug until he was let go.

"Grandma," Harry greeted her. "Grandfather." He couldn't bring himself to call Cyril any variation of the word. Cyril just seemed like a Grandfather, not a grandpa, papa, or any other variation.

"Hello Harry," Cyril pulled him into a hug. "Susan," Cyril and Dawn pulled the girl in for a quick hug each. Susan returned it and grinned happily at the two. Cyril and Dawn had taken over the role of grandparents for Susan this past summer. It was interesting for Susan to have an older couple treat her like family and spoil her, just like Harry.

"You two ready to go?" Dawn asked.

"Wait, why don't you have any shoes on?" Cyril asked eyeing Harry's red and green sock clothed feet.

"Izzy through my shoes out the window," Harry said with a glare towards the girl.

Izzy looked unrepentant, "They had holes in them."

"Isobel!" Her mum reprimanded her.

Dawn ruined it thought when she gave Izzy a hug, "Good job. I've been trying to do that since I first met him." Harry groaned and rolled his eyes.

"If you love me you'd accept my shoes." Harry half-heartedly protested.

"No it's because I love you I threw the shoes out the window." Izzy said sticking her tongue out at him.

"Alright let's go so we can get Harry some shoes," Cyril said separating the two. Izzy was trying to hug him why still sticking her tongue out at him. Harry was fighting it with a disgusted look on his face but he lost it by laughing.

"See you guys later." Harry and Susan exchanged goodbyes with their friends. They walked over to the floo systems and flooed to the Sinistra family home.

* * *

"Hey Harry," Quinn said as she came into the library where Harry was reading.

"Quinn," Harry jumped up and gave her a hug.

Quinn was surprised by managed to hide it and simply returned the hug. "Whatcha reading?" Quinn asked him as he pulled back.

"It's on petrification," Harry said. It was a healer's guide book on the different ways people could be petrified.

"Petrification?" Quinn asked sitting down next to Harry. Harry leaned into her and told her the story of what had been happening at Hogwarts this year. He included the bits about the house elf that visited him.

"It sounds like he might have been trying to warn you off with your Bludger." Quinn said once the story finished.

"You think so?"

"Yes it's a bad way to warn you off but it is possible. Especially if he thinks he owes you a debt for defeating You-Know-Who. Any luck with the book?"

Harry shook his head, "No. There's a spell in here that petrifies people but it says it's a Dark Arts spell and apparently complicated. I doubt even a seventh year could pull it off. He flipped to the page that mentioned the spell and showed her what it said.

"Mmm," She hummed as she looked it over. It did not actually describe how to cast the curse but from the incantation along she could tell Harry's observations were right. "So how about we shelve this and leave it to the aurors while we go fly?" Quinn asked him. Harry nodded and jumped up running over to the book case he found the book on. He placed it in the air and hovered before flying on it's own and re-inserting itself in the space it came from. Harry and Quinn made their way outside and were joined by Aurora. The three of them hopped on their brooms and spent time flying before they had to get ready for the ritual tonight. Quinn showed off some of her seeker moves to Harry who was suitably impressed, Aurora was too. About an hour later the three of them spied Susan waving at them.

They landed and Harry waved at Susan. They walked over to the girl who was dressed in black skirt and a blue and gold sweater Yule sweater. "Hey Harry, Professor." Susan greeted them with a smile.

"Hi Susan this is my Aunt, Quinn Sinistra. Aunt Quinn this is Susan Bones one of my best friends." Susan smiled brightly at his words.

"Nice to meet you Susan." Quinn said with a large smile.

"You as well Miss Sinistra."

"Call me Quinn." Quinn said still smiling. "So you and your Aunt are joining us for Yule?"

Susan nodded, "Yep Auntie is inside taking Lord Sinistra, I mean Cyril." Susan corrected herself. Cyril had told them all to call him by his first name saying his grandson's friends were not going to go around calling him Lord all the time. Aurora and Quinn stepped ahead of the two preteens leading the way back to the house. "You know you're probably a better flier than even Cedric." She bumped his shoulder with hers. "You could take the Seekers spot if you want."

Harry grinned a bit sheepishly before shaking his head, "Nah too much glory in seeking. Cedric's much better at handling attention. Not to mention better looking. He was practically made to be a poster boy for some professional team, I couldn't take his spot." Susan laughed at Harry's description of their friend but had to admit Harry was right.

"Either that or Minister for Magic," Susan said with a laugh. Harry laughed with her but they both realized Cedric had the potential to become Minister. He was already one of the most advanced students at Hogwarts and he was only 14.

"I'll see you in a few minutes," Harry said disappearing up the stairs. He reappeared at the top of the stairs in black slacks and a red and green stripped button down shirt. He had on a tie that had Santa's sleigh and the cartoon versions of the twelve reindeers. It was a muggle tie and caused Susan to start laughing once again. He grinned a crocked grin as he took her hand and led her to the back door of the solarium. They were met by the rest of the adults and they made their way to the clearing used for the rituals.

"So I looked in the healer's book we found," Harry said quietly as they walked.

"Yeah?" Susan asked looking curious.

"Nothing except it mentioned a spell but it was seriously dark." Harry replied.

"This is like a bad riddle." Susan groaned.

"Has your Aunt said anything about it?"

"They're looking into the last time the Chamber was opened."

"But I thought Hagrid was cleared."

"Mostly." Susan said. "They're trying to see if there are any connections in the school." They arrived at the clearing and Susan gasped. "Fairies, that's so cool. We don't have any in our woods." Harry grinned at her and then laughed as a fairy flew over and sat on his shoulder. It tickled a bit. They took their seats with Susan sitting next to Harry and Amelia sitting next to Quinn. Cyril started the ritual and passed the goblet around for everyone to take their sips. Harry was much more careful this time about how much he drank. Susan stifled a laugh and Harry gave her a grin before handing her the cup. The cup made it all the way around and Cyril ended the ritual and this time there were no visitors. The feast began and the two families dug in heartedly.

"So Harry how is school coming for you?" Madam Bones asked in the middle of dinner.

Harry swallowed, "Good. Defense is horrible though. We have to listen to Lockhart drone on about how he defeated all of his monsters. You'd think he was the second coming with the way he talks about himself." There was some laughter from the table for his comment. Madam Bones just pursed her lips.

"I take it we'll be dueling again over the summer," Cyril said. Harry nodded.

"Same here," Madam Bones said looking at Susan. Susan just shrugged and nodded. "What do your classmates think of Professor Lockhart?" Amelia asked eyeing the two.

"Most still think he's the greatest thing in the world but others, mainly the Slytherins and the Ravenclaws seem to be getting annoyed with him." Harry answered and then added, "You think it would be us Puffs and the Gryffindors though considering he set pixies loose on us and not them."

"He set pixies loose on you?' Quinn asked Cyrek looked equally flummoxed. Pixies in large groups were dangerous. "How many?"

"About twenty maybe a little less," Susan said.

"But pixies get smarter as the group gets larger," Quinn said in disbelief. One or two pixies for second years would have been fine to teach them about the little buggers.

"Yeah he didn't even give us a spell to use first, Granger ended up with a concussion." Harry added to the conversation.

"And he's still teaching?"

"He's on probation. Professor McGonagall is reviewing his lessons. My bet is before the end of the year he'll be gone. It's just a matter of finding a replacement."

"You can't find a replacement," Madam Bones asked.

"Nobody wants the job."

"I need to talk to Professor McGonagall, I'll have my aurors teach if it will mean getting rid of Lockhart. They're already at the school."

"Sweet." Harry said he would gladly be shot of Lockhart. Amelia grinned at the boy. Both Susan and Harry were going easy on their drinks this time, especially Harry. The ritual feast died down with Harry and Susan still ending up falling asleep on their respective parent figures. Cyril and Cyrek helped to carry the two preteens back to the manor.

The next day found Harry up before the crack of dawn and in snow pants, hunting boots, thermal shirt and his winter cloak. He made his way down to the kitchen and sat sleepily at the small table set up in there. He took the offered tea from the house elves and drank down not one but three cups of tea. As he was in the middle of his third one Cyril and Cyrek appeared in the kitchen dressed similarly to Harry only instead of a thermal muggle shirt they had the wizard equivalent which was a fur lined long sleeve shirt.

"Ready for the hunt?" Cyrek asked Harry clapping him on the back.

Harry grinned, "Can't wait." Harry loved the hunt last year, he was a natural, both patient and quiet. They were met at the back door by the Sinistra house elf who had with her the crossbows they would use. Harry's was smaller than Cyril and Cyrek's. Harry slung the arrows on his shoulder and took the crossbow in his grasp. Cyril nodded at Cyrek and he apparated with a small pop. Cyril place his hand on Harry's shoulder and apparated to a clearing far off from the manor but still on Sinistra property. Cyrek was waiting for them and cast a warming charm on the three of them while Cyril cast disillusion charm on the others. Harry looked at his hand in astonishment, just like he did last year. His hand blended into the environment. There was a slight shimmer in the air showing where Cyril and Cyrek stood. It was little easier to see each other when they were moving as it left a sort of blur to the environment.

"Alright Harry you take point to the blind." Cyril whispered. Harry didn't speak but walked in front of them leaving foot prints in the snow. Cyril and Cyrek fell into step behind him. Harry walked through the woods slowly and methodically. Harry stopped suddenly and Cyril and Cyrek who were watching the footprints in front of them pulled up. Harry moved his bow into position and fired. The arrow shot straight into the air and hit a grouse, killing it. Harry smiled and turned only to remember that Cyril and Cyrek could not see his expression. It did not matter though as they both tracked the arrow.

"Nice shot Harry." Cyril said quietly but with pride in his voice. The found the hare and field dressed it and kept moving. They stopped one other time as Cyrek shot another grouse. They made it to the blind and up they climbed. They took their seats on the blind and Cyril pulled out some hot chocolate for them all. Harry took a cup and much to his amusement saw two others seemingly floating in the air. They were silent as they waited patiently for deer to come into range.

"So Harry how are you doing at school with all this madness?" Cyril asked.

Harry shrugged but then remembered he was charmed and said, "It's alright bit on edge. Really I think Lockhart's doing more damage so far."

"He's really that bad?" Cyrek asked even America the man had quite the following.

"We do learn a bit about beasts but nothing that's actually worthwhile like how to _defend_ ourselves from them. I'm convinced half his spells are made up. I don't know how he actually does the things in his books." Harry said frustration in his voice. "Shh," Harry cut himself off and pointed to the very edge of the clearing the blind over looked. A large buck had just entered the clearing. It was about a hundred yards away but moving towards them.

"Cyril," Cyrek prompted in barely a whisper. Cyril got into a comfortable position and held his bow at the ready. The deer was now within range at 60 yards. Cyril waitied a bit longer for it to come closer to the stream that ran through the clearing. Cyril fired and Harry tracked the arrow as it when straight through behind the back of the front leg into the heart. The deer startle and tried to run off and did somewhat jerkily before it fell to the ground unmoving.

Harry and Cyrek gave a whoop of delight at his shot and Cyril canceled their disillusion charms showing off a wide grin. "Let's go get dinner." Cyril said and slid down the ladder of the blind. Harry followed him and then Cyrek came down with the birds they shot earlier. They started through the clearing to where the deer was down.

"I made the Quidditch team!" Harry said to Cyrek as they walked.

"Nice what position?" Cyrek grinned at the boy.

"Beater with Wayne."

"The famous Wayne you wrote to Quinn about?"

"Yea that's him." Harry nodded.

"You should invite him on the hunt next year." Cyrek said.

"Cool." Harry replied.

"I played beater myself." Cyrek said. "I could show you some moves while we wait for dinner." Harry grinned and nodded as he bounced along through the snow after Cyril. Cyrek smiled wide and followed after the boy, whose enthusiasm was contagious.

"Alright you ready to help me field dress this?" Cyril asked Harry pulling out a knife. He bounded over and made the cuts under the supervision of Cyril and Cyrek. Cyril over his shoulder helping him through the process. When it was done Cyrek levitated the deer to float behind them like the grouses as they made the long walk back to the Sinistra Manor.

 **A/N: Hope ya'll enjoyed. Just so you know Draco's going to end up being more than just a little creep in this story. Hence why he was laughing at muggle's dying earlier, and tripping Harry down stairs. So don't feel to bad he's going to earn the pranks.**


	5. Chapter 5

"Welcome back second years," Professor Meadows intoned from the front of the class. The red head man was tall and skinny with wire rimmed glasses. Professor Meadows was the epitome of a bookworm. "Today were going to learn a spell to turn objects into badgers." The Hufflepuffs grinned and Harry and Wayne gave each other fist bumps. The badger was the symbol of their house giving them extra incentive to get the spell to work. "Yes, Hufflepuff you had best get the spell right or they might not let you into the common room tonight." There was some laughter from both the Hufflepuffs and the Slytherins. "Pick your most hated text book and let's try the spell." Harry pulled out his Transfiguration text book, Wayne pulled out his Potions book, Susan and Izzy both pulled out their History of Magic textbooks.

"Now the spell goes like this, one," he tapped his wand to the right of the spell book he was using, "two," he tapped to the left of the book. "Bestia Badger." The text book turned into snarling badger. The badger walked across the teacher's desk growling to itself. "Finite," He tapped the badger and it turned back into a book.

Harry moved his stuff from his desk just keeping his transfiguration text on his test. He tapped his wand once, twice, "Bestia Badger." The book turned fuzzy but still remained a book. His next attempt had the book grow paws and a tail. Harry gave a frustrated grunt and finited his book. He looked at Wayne and saw that he was having just as much luck as Harry.

"Come on Mr. Potter focus your intent. You have the theories down." Professor Meadows said coming up behind him. Harry nodded and tried the spell again. This time it worked, walking across his desk was now a black and white badger. The badger looked around before trying to tunnel into the desk. It looked rather upset that it could not. Harry used the finite spell to change the badger back into the book. "Good do it again." Professor Meadows said with a grin for the young boy. "Mr. Hopkins let me see it," Professor Meadows moved on to Wayne. Harry kept working on his spell. He could do it faster and faster. By the end of the lesson five students had accomplished the spells all Hufflepuff students except for Daphne Greengrass. Harry watch the blond Slytherin go, he could see similar facial features in Daphne that Aurora had. Harry resolved to talk the girl at some point this year. Family was family even if they had green piping on their robes.

Harry, Izzy, Susan, and Wayne made their way to the library to meet with Neville. They passes by a curious sight on their way to the library, the aurors seemed to be congregating in the girls bathroom.

"I wonder why they're in Myrtle's bathroom." Susan said eyeing them as they walked past. Auror Shafiq nodded to Susan and motioned for them to keep walking. Susan sighed and nodded the four picking their pace back up.

"Myrtle?" Wayne asked.

"Moaning Myrtle, she's a ghost that haunts that bathroom."

"Mum mentioned her. She flooded the bathroom on Halloween." Harry said.

"Yeah girls don't really use that bathroom. Myrtle likes to cry," Izzy said, "loudly," she paused, "and often."

"Why would ya' haunt a bathroom," Wayne asked. "Sounds kinda pervy." Harry laughed while the girls cringed. They really hoped it wasn't for perverted reasons. They got to the library and saw Neville was already at a table and waved them over. The four Hufflepuffs joined him. They pulled out their History textbooks and opened them up to chapter thirteen. They had to write an essay on Roman gods and goddesses. Harry had chosen Mercury, Wayne chose Vulcan, Neville chose to do his on Ceres, and Izzy and Susan chose Janus and Minerva respectively. The four worked on their projects while chatting about their Yule break. Harry resolved to ask Wayne and Neville to go hunting with him next year. They both seemed interested in it.

They packed up their things when the bell for dinner rang and returned their books. They had made a rather large dent in their projects. They along with others from the library made their way down to the Great Hall. Suddenly the sixth years that were in front of the five friends stop dead in their tracks and their talking was silenced. Harry ran into one of them and was expecting a telling off but none came. Harry looked around the sixth years and saw a gruesome sight.

Nearly Headless Nick was floating in place with his head cocked at an odd angle. He seemed to be frozen in place. If it was possible for a ghost to die he looked like he had. On the floor past Nearly Headless Nick was the body of Justin Finch Fetchly unmoving with a look of abject horror on his frozen features.

"No," Harry said in a whisper and moved forward to look at Justin. He might not like the puffed up Eaton wannabee but he did not deserve this.

"Potter," It was Adrian Pucey, the Slytherin sixth year prefect that spoke. "Go and get the Headmistress. "Bones the aurors." Harry and Susan took off for their charges. The rest of the students stayed their milling about whispering of another attack. Pucey and the Ravenclaw prefect he was with, Rachel O'Connell kept the students away from the body and the ghost.

Susan showed up first with the aurors who wasted no time clearing out the scene. "Alright everybody get on your way now!" Kingsley Shacklebolt's booming voice commanded the students. The students cleared out just as Harry and Headmistress McGonagall arrived. "You five need to leave too." Kingsley said in a much more calming voice. The five second years nodded. The Hufflepuffs giving Justin one last look before leaving for dinner. None of them ate much their appetite having disappeared when they discovered their year mate. For all the Hufflepuffs the situation just became more real as their housemate was found petrified.

* * *

"Add three imp ears to the mortar and two peppermint leaves; crush into a fine paste." Harry read the directions aloud while Izzy and Fred worked on the potion. Fred was the better brewer of the twins. George and Wayne were on the other side of the room working on some more fake wands. The fake wands were now being sold around the castle kick starting the twins in the pranking business. Every day it seemed that somebody's wand turned into a squawking rubber chicken or a squeaking toy mouse that ran away. There was even one brilliant wand that turned into a rather large tarantula causing a fourth year Charms class to be canceled, who knew that Professor Flitwick was scared of spiders? Harry found it hard not to laugh at Sunday dinner when Aunt Minerva ranted about the fake wands in her thick Scottish brogue. And judging by Aurora's looks she knew it too.

"Add seven pinches of the mixture to the cauldron." Harry read the next ingredient. "Stir four time counterclockwise and once clockwise five times." Fred stirred while Izzy counted the rotations. "Now add three measures of salamander blood." Fred had Izzy each measure to dump in. "Stir eight times clockwise. You know potions are really nasty when you think about it." Harry added as Fred stirred. Both Fred and Izzy cracked smiles while George and Wayne cracked up from where they were. "Heat for ten minutes on medium flame." Fred messed with the flame until it was perfect.

"Potions may be nasty but we're the crazy ones that drink them." Izzy said sitting down in a chair to rest a bit. They had been working on the potion for an hour already. It was complicated and long but the results would be worth it. "So are we drinking this potion as well?" Izzy asked.

"Of course," It was Susan that answered coming into the old classroom with Neville. "Otherwise it would look suspicious." Izzy nodded.

"Figure out how to badger?" Harry asked Neville. Neville and Susan had been working on Neville's transfiguration with Professor Meadows. Neville instead of responding grinned and turned a nearby chair into a badger and back. "Nice." Harry hummed his approval.

"So this is where the magic happens?" Neville asked grinning and looking around. The pranksters had gradually started taking over the classroom as more and more of their things were being left in the room, there was even a Falmouth Falcons poster. The twins followed Falmouth as well.

"Welcome to our lair," George said in a mad voice rubbing his hands together like a mad scientist. They all lost it and started cracking up. A timer went off signaling the potion was ready for the next step.

"Add three bat bones while stirring counterclockwise. Potion should turn a light green color."

"Yes," Fred and Izzy gave each other a high five as the potion turned light green.

"Now we let it sit for two days." Harry said. Fred tapped his wand on the rim of the cauldron and it glowed a faint pink before fading. His spell would ensure nothing fell into the potion.

"Oh guys," Neville said. Everybody had taken up seats in a circle as they chatted. "I saw Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle in the library. They were in the jinxes section. So I would be on guard for anything." They nodded.

"Little toad," Izzy muttered hatefully.

"He's not going to learn is he?" Susan asked.

" 'Course not. He's a bloody toff, raised to think he's the next Merlin." Wayne replied.

"Well if he does anything we'll hit him twice as hard." Harry said ending the conversation. "We need a way to claim this prank, it's too epic not to."

"We need a name first," Fred said.

"Reavers after the Marauders," Wayne said.

"I like it," George said and the others nodded. "What do we do for names?"

"You can be Mr. Orange," Harry said with a grin at George and nodded to George's hair.

"Well you can be Mr. Green," George replied back. "Fred your hair's more red then mine.

"So Mr. Red," Fred finished.

"Wayne can be Mr. Grey after Falmouth."

"Izzy Miss Purple," Harry said. Izzy nodded her acceptance of the name while she grinned.

"What about you two do you want in?" Wayne asked Neville and Susan.

"If it means pranking Malfoy, count me in," Neville said grinning. Malfoy still called him a squib every chance he got.

"Mr. Brown," Harry said right away. At Neville's look he added, "Herbology."

"Sue?" Izzy asked her friend.

"I might as well, somebody needs to keep you all in check." Susan said.

The twins grinned, "Miss White. For innocence," they said in unison. Susan flipped them off. Laughter rang throughout the room.

The potion was finished three days later and Harry took it down to the kitchen for the house elves to add to the drinks. The house elves were quiet shocked to find out Harry wanted a drop of the potion to go into every goblet but agreed to do it after Harry explained what the potion did. Harry went to bed with a smile on his face and had to fight not to skip down to breakfast.

Harry took his seat in the Great Hall with Susan, Izzy, and Wayne. The first thing he did was take a sip of pumpkin juice. Around halfway through the breakfast period when everyone was there, a firework went off. Fred and George had hid the firework suspended in the air off to the side of the teachers' table. The firework went off with a bang and left behind in glittering purple and gold lettering, 'Today's festivities brought to you by the Reavers. Thank you to Mr. Green for the idea.'

Professor McGonagall stood up giving them a steely eyed look she opened her mouth and with the perfect pitch and tune sang out in opera quality, "What festivities would those be-eeeeee?" Suddenly the whole school burst out into song about today's singing. It was accompanied by a dance routine fit for the opera. This continued for the rest of the day resulting in classes being canceled and groups of students getting together to sing and dance. Harry's favorite was the Ode to Nargles sung by dreamy looking first year Luna Lovegood.

* * *

Harry and his Quidditch team were gathering themselves for the game against Gryffindor. In less the two minutes they would take the field against one of the best squad's put together in Hogwarts. Gryffindor was their biggest competition this year, minus their seeker. Cedric was still the best seeker at Hogwarts right now. This was the game everyone was waiting for this year. They walked out of the tunnel only to be met by Professor Sprout. "This match has been cancelled."

"You can't cancel Quidditch," Cedric and Artie both said at the same time.

"Quiet," Professor Sprout snapped at them. The rest of the Quidditch team rocked back, whatever it was it was serious. Professor Sprout never snapped at them even when she was pissed. In fact she laughed as she reprimanded the house for the singing prank, as it was becoming known. All the Heads of House lectured their houses and from what they could find out both Professor Sprout and Professor Slughorn found it rather hilarious. Slughorn even mentioned awarding points if the culprits were ever caught.

"There's been another attack," Professor Sprout said. They all froze and their faces either fell or were set in stone, in Harry's case. "You need to report to the common room." They made their way back into the locker room to change. They met up with the Gryffindor team on the way back. They were being escorted back by Professor Sprout.

"Did they tell you who was attacked?" Harry asked slipping over by the twins.

"No," Fred said and George shook his head.

"Do you think it was more than one again?" George asked everyone.

"Hope not," Wayne said. They fell quiet as they walked the rest of the way back to the castle. They were met by Professor Vector who took the Gryffindor team up to their common room. Professor Sprout led the Hufflepuffs to the Hufflepuff common room. The whole house was gathered and a hush fell over them.

The Quidditch team moved to take their seats amongst the others. Harry and Wayne found Izzy and Susan and sat in front of the two.

"Now no doubt you're wondering what exactly is going on," Professor Sprout started, "there has indeed been another attack. This afternoon Penelope Clearwater and Hermione Granger were both attacked and petrified." A burst of whispers from the students. Penelope Clearwater was a halfblood. Whoever was attacking people was moving targets.

"As such the aurors and the Headmistress have seen fit to introduce some new rules for the foreseeable future:

Students will be escorted to and from all classes by a teacher.

All extracurriculars outside of the castle or those without a teacher present are cancelled.

Students must be in there common room by six o'clock in the evening.

"Is this understood?" Professor Sprout asked. It was a testament to how scared and on edge everyone was that no one protested. She received nods from the students. "Prefects, seventh years I expect your cooperation and you help keeping the younger years in line." The seventh years and the prefect still looked to be in a bit of shock but nodded. "Now I suggest you all find something to occupy your time with as the aurors want you to remain in the common room except for tonight's supper." Professor Sprout stayed a bit longer to reassure those students who needed it.

Harry sat stock still as his mind processed the information. Another second year had been petrified and the aurors still seemed to be no closer to catching who was doing this. Heads were starting to turn towards Susan and whispers started coming towards them about the aurors. Harry stood and glared at the Hufflepuffs around them as did Wayne the two beaters holding their brooms and bats was a sight to see. The whispers died down. "Sue do you know anything?" Harry asked, his voice came across the common room loud and clear.

"No." Susan's voice echoed his.

"There you have it." Harry said to the common room and then turned to his friends. "Wanna have a chess tourney?" He asked. Oliver, Rodger, and even Ernie agreed to the tournament along with some of the older student like Cedric, Artie, and Natsumi.

* * *

Harry, Izzy, Susan and Wayne sitting in the common room working on assignments. It was bit hard to focus though as everyone else was in the common room as well, not to mention everyone was worried about being petrified. The teachers were doing their best to be reassuring but they were preparing them for end of the year exams. A sold network of black market charms and totems had appeared earlier in the year and was now selling at an alarming rate. The teachers had begun to notice and were trying to step in to stop it. So far two Slytherins and a Ravenclaw student had been suspended for selling the totems.

Their common room door swung open and everyone held their breath, knowing it could only be Professor Sprout with news. Professor Sprout appeared in the doorway and she looked around and upon finding her quarry made her way over to Harry. She stopped close to them and whispered to Harry, "Mr. Potter I need you to come with me."

Harry looked at her confused but nodded and closed his books up. He got up and followed her out of the common room. He stopped her outside of the common room. "Professor what's this about?"

Professor Sprout stopped and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Harry it's Aurora," Her voice was quiet and solemn. "She's been petrified." Harry heard the words and looked at her in disbelief. He stepped back from her and took off at a run. "Harry!" Professor Sprout shouted and bustled after him.

Harry ran straight to the hospital wing where he rushed in startling Madam Pomfrey and the others that were in the room. He didn't look at anyone else except for his mum frozen on the hospital bed. Harry belatedly noticed that her arms were frozen at odd angles. He ran to the bed and stopped just short of it. He looked at Aurora's frozen form and gently reached out to touch one of her outstretched hands. He gently touched as if he was afraid it would shatter if he touched her.

"What happened?" Harry asked in not but a whisper.

"We don't know she was in her office when it happened. This is the first attack that looks truly targeted," Kingsley Shacklebolt's deep voice said from Harry's side.

Harry turned to stare at the man with cold dead eyed stare he learned from Sal's business deals. "When exactly are you going to figure this out?" Harry turned away from him and sat on the edge of Aurora's bed. The Headmistress walked up behind him and rested her hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry leaned into her, surprising her but she kept the look from showing.

"Harry she will be okay," Professor McGonagall said in a strong voice.

Harry looked at her and then at Aurora and then at the others who had been petrified. He just looked at Minerva again like he was lost. Minerva squeezed his shoulder in comfort and stood by him while the others left. Harry stayed in the hospital wing for another ten minutes before Minerva suggested he go back to the common room and be with his friends. Harry nodded and they got up leaving Aurora. Minerva stopped him before they could leave him and pulled him into a hug. "Just a few weeks Harry and then she'll be back to grounding you and chiding you about your homework assignments." Harry cracked a small grin and nodded. Minerva walked him back to the Hufflepuff common room.

Harry entered the common room without saying anything to the inquiring students. Harry made his way over to his friends, his expression downcast. "What happened Harry?" Susan asked.

"My mum's been petrified." Harry mumbled. It did not take long for it go around the common room being overheard by some fourth years.

"No!" Susan and Izzy both said. Wayne just looked shocked. Susan and Izzy both pulled Harry in for hug. Harry just kind of stood there still not excepting the reality of the situation.

"She was in her office," Harry said confusion lacing his tone. "They said it's the first attack that there seems to be a target."

"I knew it." Ernie Macmillan suddenly shouted. "I knew this was all your fault!" Harry just looked at the boy in stunned silence. "First Professor Quirrell and now this! It's all your fault all these things are happening." Harry heard the words but was lost not in the present but in the past right before he had his throat slit. Harry was frozen trying to fight to stay out of his memories that were threatening to overwhelm him.

Harry though was not alone this time and Wayne stepped in front of Harry blocking him from Ernie's view. Susan was the one that noticed something wrong with Harry. She went up and gently touch his shoulder and Harry nearly jumped out of his skin. When he looked at Susan his eyes were far away.

"Harry are you alright?" Susan asked quietly.

Harry snapped back at the sound of his name and just nodded. But Harry did not look it he was pale and shaking a bit. "Piss off Macmillan, none of this is Harry's fault!" Wayne growled out.

"Justin's been petrified the whole school will soon be closed all because of him." Ernie tried to push past Wayne to get to Harry. Harry flinched but Wayne did not budge when Ernie pushed him and instead pushed back. Ernie ended up flying back and tripping over his own feet. He fell over and the crash snapped Harry out of his daze. Harry realized this time was very different from the last time. Harry pulled his wand out and marched over to Ernie. He leaned over him and the tip of his wand glowed with magic begging to be released.

"Go piss up a tree Macmillan. It's not my fault some psycho's come after me. Just be happy it isn't you. My mother is petrified in the hospital wing and yours is safe and sound in her cushy manor!" Harry snapped out the words in anger. "Now shut up and ya' wanker."

"Harry," The warning came from Cedric. "Put your wand away." Cedric held his hands up as he came closer. He recognized Harry's earlier fit, one of his dad's friends from the first war had them. Harry nodded and pocketed his wand. "Macmillan I think you need to see Professor Sprout."

Ernie sneered at him, "You're not a prefect you can't make me."

"No but I can," The seventh year prefect, Matthew Ludland stepped forward. He picked Ernie up with one hand and set him on his feet. "Let's go." He led Ernie out of the common room to Professor Sprout's office.

Susan took Harry by the shoulder and led him to a private corner of the common room. Izzy and Wayne formed a wall around them. "Harry are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Harry growled. Susan gave him a look. Harry sighed, "I will be fine. As soon as they un petrify mum." He said and slumped down in a chair. "Why does this shite always happen around me?"

"You killed a Pope in a past life?" Wayne offered. Susan and Izzy both shot him annoyed looks but Harry cracked a grin.

"He better had been a good one." Harry said. He stood up, "I'm going to bed."

It was a week later and Harry was spending most of his free time in the hospital wing sitting with his mum. He would do his homework by her side and talk to her in his quiet raspy voice. He had just finished his homework when they came marching in. Kingsley Shacklebolt and his auror squad was led in by Madam Bones herself. Headmistress McGonagall followed the aurors with her was Hagrid and he was holding two roosters in his large arms. There were also two other men were there. They wore light green robes and had Ministry of Magic badges on them along with one other badge Harry did not recognize. When they got closer Harry read Magical Beasts Control.

"Miss Amelia?" Harry asked.

"Harry how many time have I told you, you may call me Amelia?" Harry just shrugged.

"Harry Director Bones needs your help but only if you agree to it," Aunt Minerva said. Harry just looked at them both and conveyed that they should continue with the story.

"We've found what we think is the entrance to the Chamber and we need your talents to open it."

"My talents?"

"With snakes," Amelia added.

"Oh." Harry said. He looked to his mum and the others and nodded. "I'll help."

"Good do you have your wand?" Amelia asked. Harry nodded. Amelia motioned for him to follow her. Harry hopped off the bed and fell into step with Amelia. Amelia led them through empty hallways and Harry shot a look at Minerva.

"The children are being kept in their common rooms." They moved through the corridors and made their way to first floor girl's bathroom.

"Why are we at Moaning Myrtle's bathroom?" Harry asked.

"50 years ago the Chamber was opened and a girl died," Amelia answered. "Through research we discovered she never left."

"She haunts the toilets because she died there?" Harry asked then added, "Also suddenly the horror movies I watched with Sal have become a lot scarier knowing someone actually died in a bathroom."

"I need to have a talk with this Sal." Amelia said looking back at Harry sternly.

"Um he might kill me if I bring a Director of Law Enforcement into his shop," Harry said being only partly serious.

"Exactly," Madam Bones said as they entered the bathroom. Myrtle was blissfully not at home. They had spoken to her extensively over the last few days and had pinpointed where she died. A specific sink that low and behold had a snake carved into. "Now we've tried everything to get this entrance open."

"It's a sink." Harry said.

"Look here," Amelia showed him where a Slytherin style snake had been carved into the sink. "Now everybody here has been sworn to secrecy. So I want you to try and speak in parseltongue to open the passage."

"You think that will work?" Harry asked skeptically. This all seemed a bit too good to be true to the pre-teen.

"That's the hope."

"You realize I've only spoken parseltongue once and I didn't even know it right?"

"Just try to visualize a snake." Amelia said. She was hoping beyond hope that this worked, they had even tried blasting the damn sink out of the way but nothing made a dent in the sink. It was either this worked or they moved on to muggle blasting alternatives. She had no idea how to use dynamite and did not fancy trying for the first time in a school.

Harry looked at her like she was nuts but stood in front of the sink. He closed his eyes and tried to picture a snake. The first one that came to mind was the one from the zoo, the huge boa constrictor came easily to his mind. Harry shrugged, " _Open Sesame_." The hiss caused everyone to shiver. Harry opened his eyes when he heard the grinding shifting of the rock the sink was made out of. Harry opened his eyes and saw the sink move to the side before sinking down revealing a large open pipe. Harry couldn't help himself and started laughing.

When he saw the looks he was receiving he said, "Open Sesame." One of the Animal workers started chuckling. The Headmistress made exasperated sound. The others just looked confused. Harry muttered, "Purebloods." Louder he said, "Alright who wants to go down the creepy tunnel first?"

"Shacklebolt." Amelia commanded.

"Yes ma'am," Kingsley said and the large man moved to the pipe and jumped down. He slide down through the pipe without a yell and reached the end with thud. "Clear!" He yelled up to them after checking around. Cardiff went next followed by Shafiq. The two Magical Beast squad members followed them and then Madam Bones.

"Alright Harry go on." Minerva said giving him a slight push forward.

"You know mum's gonna kill all of you right?" Harry said as he jumped down the pipe. He whooped with joy as he sped down the dirty pipe as only a twelve year old boy could. He was spit out of the twisting and turning pipe and fell onto something sharp. "Ow what the?" Harry said pushing himself up. His eyes adjusted to the wand light and he was disgusted to see thousands of bones was what he landed on. "Oh that's just sick." Harry said making the others chuckle a bit and cringe too. The Headmistress followed Harry and she had one of the most disgusted looks on her face Harry had ever seen. Hagrid was the last to come down and he just barely fit in the large pipe.

"From creepy pipe to creepy tunnel," Harry muttered to himself as they started on following the tunnel. They did not have to walk far before finding out they were indeed on the right trail. They came to a gigantic outline of snake in the rubble.

"Snakeskin," Hagrid said as he and the two Beast squad members looked it over. "Basilisk."

"We were right, only the fact that no one saw the basilisk head on prevented a death."

"Huh?" Harry asked.

"We went through the crime scenes and found that no looked the creature face to face. They all glimpsed it through some other media. Your mother most recently saw it through one of her telescopes she was fixing."

"Let's keep moving," Amelia said and the group moved passed the massive snake skin. They did not go far before they came to a large double doors. The doors were carved out of stone and gleamed with polish still after centuries. Two large door handles carved from the stone formed interlocking snakes that sealed the door shut. The snakes had glittering ruby eyes that shown in the wand light.

Harry hissed, " _Open_." This time focusing on the snake like locks. The snakes gave off a loud cranking noise as they shifted and slithered to release the doors. The doors opened giving off another loud shifting of rock. The whole tunnel seemed to rumble as the doors opened and Harry looked around the tunnel with apprehension. The door opened and Harry was shunted to the back of the pack. He was the last one to enter the large chamber in front of them. He looked around with awe. The chamber had a decidedly creepy feel to it but it was impressive. It was large and hollowed out of the natural rock. There was a large path paved in the middle of the chamber with large snake sculptures on either side lining the war. These snakes like the ones on the door had large ruby eyes that seemed blood red in the light. A massive statute of what could only be Salazar Slytherin lit up at the front of the chamber, it seemed to grow out of the wall. They moved forward closer to two figures. At the end of the Chamber torches were lit and there was someone standing at the end. They could see a body laid out on paved path, no bigger than a first year.

"Welcome to my Chamber you're just in time for the main event." A silky but menacing voice spoke and turning towards them was a boy. He looked to be a seventh year wearing Hogwarts robes but they were strange to Harry.

"Minerva get Harry out of here and seal the passage at the top," Amelia whispered.

Harry didn't protest as he was jerked by the collar and pushed back towards the entrance and the two rushed out. Just as the doors slammed shut at the hissed command of the boy at the front of the chamber they slipped through them and out into the tunnel.

"We can't just leave them."

"Yes we can and you will," Minerva said and pushed him forward. "They are trained for this sort of thing, you are a second year."

"But I can talk to the snake," Harry protested as he moved back towards the entrance pipe.

"So can that boy," Minerva said as they passed the snake skin again. "He's probably already controlling that snake. Now how are we going to get back up?" She said looking at the pipe that spit them out.

Harry shrugged and said, " _Stairs_." The pipe slowly transformed into a set of rock formed stairs.

"Well that's a long way up," Minerva said warily. "I have a better idea. Accio Harry's broom and Minerva's broom." Within seconds two brooms zoomed down the pipe and into their hands.

"Cool," Harry said with a grin.

"Summoning Charm you'll learn it at the end of fourth year." Minerva said in her teacher's voice as Harry had come to call it. They took off into the air and rode up to the top of the pipe where Harry sealed the entrance shut with a hissed command. "There's no way I could get you to go to bed is there?" Minerva asked Harry turning to look at him.

"Snowballs chance in hell," Harry replied.

Minerva moved him so he was at the very back of the bathroom away from the entrance, "Stay put and do not move until I tell you to, understood?" She asked.

"Yes ma'am," Harry gave her a salute.

"Cheeky brat." Minerva muttered lovingly.

* * *

Amelia braced herself standing in combat ready position as Minerva and Harry made their escape. Amelia and the other aurors quickly killed their wand lights trying for some advantage. Kingsley and his two aurors moved to place themselves in front of Amelia. Hagrid as cautiously reached down from where he was hidden in the shadows and placed the two roosters he was carrying down on the ground. He moved his large body into the light stepping in front of the roosters keeping them hidden. Hagrid might not be the smartest person in the group but he knew those roosters were their best chance. The fact that he did not have a wand to illuminate himself kept him hidden in shadows. He backed further into the shadows trying to remain anonymous. If need be he'd charge the damn snake. The two Beast squad members quickly moved behind the aurors for protection making Amelia swear at their cowardice. She needed them in positions to fight the beast not cower behind aurors because of a seventh year.

"And just how is this your chamber?" Kingsley asked his voice boomed across the chamber managing to be just as intimidating as the menacing voice of the boy.

A haunting laugh echoed from the boy, "I am the Heir of Slytherin." He took up a wand and the others flinched preparing for a spell but instead the boy wrote his name in the air with flames. Tom Marvolo Riddle was scratched out in harsh writing and then rearranged into the words I am Lord Voldemort. Gasps were heard from the pack of law enforcement officials. "I am the Heir of Slytherin. I am the greatest wizard to ever live. I will soon return very much alive. Thanks to a silly little girl who wrote in a book." Ameila's eyes zero'ed in on the book lying by the redheaded girl on the floor.

"Kingsley," Amelia whispered. "We need that book."

Kingsley nodded and shot off, "Stupefy." The spell passed harmlessly through the boy.

He let out another laugh, "You can't harm me." He turned away from them and to the statue. He started hissing and Kingsley took his chance. He rushed forward with Cardiff and Shafiq. The boy turned back as the three aurors charged and yelled with rage. He shot off spells at them. Kingsley rolled to avoid the spells. Cardiff and Shafiq shielded the spells from Kingsley leaving themselves open. Kingsley rolled again coming up with the book as Cardiff was hit with a spell and went down hard with a shout. Shafiq fired off another spell that passed through the boy harmlessly.

"Damn it." Shafiq yelled as he rolled too avoiding another spell.

Kingsley stood and looked up with wide eyes. Pouring out of the mouth of Slytherin was a giant poisonous green snake. Kingsley slammed his eyes shut and rolled backwards away from the snake. He heard the two Beast squad members ran forward spurred on by shouts from Amelia.

"Protect the students. Fight!" Amelia yelled to them as the basilisk let out a roar. The two squad members fired spell after spell.

"Conjuctivitis." The curses were aimed at the head of the basilisk. As they dared not look at the eyes of the creature. Their sheer volume of curses paid off as the basilisk let off a shriek of pain as its eyes were hit by the spells. The eyes swelled up and shut painfully as the beast thrashed. The boy was screaming in parseltongue at the beast. It stopped thrashing and sniffed out Kingsley. Shacklebolt ran as the beast focused on him and it chased after with speed. The beast smashed into the side of Kingsley sending him flying and knocking into the rock wall. Shacklebolt scrambled to his feet back pressed against the wall. The snake looked him head on and lunged forward it's fangs looking to pierce flesh. Kingsley used the only thing he had and shoved the book towards the fangs. The fangs pierced the book and just missed Kingsley's fingers as the snake pulled back.

Shacklebolt dived out of the way as the snake reared back and he took off at a run. He heard the boy give a shout of rage and then it was followed by the noise of an explosion Kingsley did not even flinch he just kept running until he heard the most blissful sound of his life, a rooster crow. It set of the other rooster and they both crowed and Kingsley stopped this time when he heard the shriek of the basilisk followed by a loud thud that shook the ground. Shacklebolt turned around and saw the basilisk lying across the floor of the chamber. It's were still swollen shut and Kingsley breathed a sigh of relief. He looked around for his boss and saw her tending to the now awake little girl.

The redheaded girl's words echoed through the chamber. "I didn't want to, Riddle made me do it." She kept repeating the words over and over interspersed that she did not want to hurt anyone. Kingsley meanwhile spotted Shafiq standing over Cardiff. Kingsley whistled to him.

"He's stunned," Shafiq called. "I don't think that shade could do much more. He was only throwing stunners and cutting curses." Kingsley nodded.

The large seasoned auror walked over to the basilisk. He knelt down beside the basilisk's maw. The book was lodged on a number of fangs and looked like a hole and been burned through the book. Kingsley gingerly pulled the book free from the fangs being extra careful not to scratch himself on the fangs. He looked at and his brow furrowed, the book seemed to be blank. He shook his head, they would have to find out from the girl what the book had to do with this.

"Auror Shacklebolt," Amelia called out to him. He took the book and jogged over to them. "Would you carry the girl she's very weak." Shacklebolt nodded and scooped up the girl after giving the book to Amelia.

They all proceeded to gather themselves and then started the long trek back to the entrance pipe. They got there and Amelia sent a patronus charm, a small dove, to the top of the pipe. Seconds later they heard the shifting of the sink from the top. Brooms zoomed down to them and they mounted them and flew back up to the top of the pipe where Minerva and a sleepy looking Harry were present.

"What happened?" Minerva asked right away. "Miss Weasley?" She asked right after seeing the girl.

"Miss Weasley needs the hospital wing and her parents," Amelia said. "The rest can wait for us to be in your office. "The basilisk is dead and so is the culprit responsible, a shade of Lord Voldemort." She told them knowing Harry would tell his friends and that it would be around the school by the end of breakfast the whole school would know the threat was over.

"Harry go to bed," Minerva dismissed him. Harry nodded sleepily. He would find out everything eventually. Harry left giving the Weasley girl what he hoped was a comforting smile. He didn't know her part in this but he was fairly certain she was innocent giving what Amelia said about Lord Voldemort. Harry was mildly concerned that this was the second time that a shade of Voldemort was attacking the school but shelved it in favor of sleep.

Harry got to his common room and tapped the barrels he was not at all surprised to see practically the whole of Hufflepuff house was waiting for him. Harry took a step back as everyone seemed to move forward. Cedric stepped forward with Artie and the two flanked Harry. "Everybody quiet down and let him talk," Cedric said. The talking died down but did not stop completely.

Artie followed it with, "Shut it!" The common room stopped buzzing.

Harry took a deep breath and then said, "It was a basilisk that was petrifying everyone. The aurors killed it using a rooster tonight. Everyone is safe." Harry said. The common room was silent for a minute and then it exploded into sound. Harry quickly slipped into the crowd and made himself disappear using his old tricks. He popped up by Izzy who almost let out a yell but quashed it.

"Harry don't do that!" Izzy hissed.

"Sorry," Harry chuckled and Izzy hit him lightly on the arm.

"Arse."

"So wha' happened?" Wayne asked.

"I don't know much beyond what I said. They made the Headmistress take me out of the Chamber. But it was apparently a shade of Voldemort." Izzy and Wayne both shuddered a bit at the name, still not used to the carefree way Harry used the name. Susan was used to it as her aunt used the name when she was home.

"Why do you guys do that when you hear his name? It's just a name." Harry complained to his friends.

"Harry during the first war he put a taboo on the name." Susan explained, "The taboo is a spell that lets you know when someone says and allows you to locate them. He used the taboo to take out anyone who used his name, that's why we say You-Know-Who." Susan finished and Harry suddenly felt more understanding towards the wizarding world.

"So that's the second time we've been attacked by Voldemort," Susan concluded after a period of silence. "Anyone else get the feeling that he's not totally dead." The three others just shook their heads. With that ominous thought the four became silenced and Harry yawned. He said goodnight to the other three and left for bed.

Amelia was right and by the end of breakfast the next day the whole school knew that the thing petrifying people was a basilisk and that it was indeed dead. The aurors had left the school with a triumph that the whole school turned out for much like when Severus Snape was dismissed from his post. The best part though was the announcement that end of year exams had been cancelled.

Harry sat at the Hufflepuff table at the end of the year feast in sort of a gloomy mood. The mandrake draught was ready but it was taking too long in Harry's opinion. They administered it this morning but it took time for the awakening. Harry was eagerly awaiting his mother's appearance, after hearing the description of the basilisk from Kingsley he did not quite believe she would be perfectly fine. Neville had been assuring him all day that it would work.

Finally about ten minutes into the feast the petrified walked through the doors to the applause of most of the school. Harry noticed about only half of the Slytherin table stood and clapped for them. Harry ignored the others and had eyes only for his mum. She strolled in last and immediately found Harry's eyes on her. She smiled reassuringly at him and moved to the Hufflepuff table. Harry hopped up and gave her a big hug, not caring a bit that he was in front of the whole school. His mum returned the hug with as much force.

"You alright?" Harry asked his mum.

"Right as rain," Aurora said quietly. She gave him one last squeeze before she left him for the head table. She nodded and waved to some students who called out to her. Headmistress McGonagall saluted her with her goblet. The feast continued with a much more jovial tone now that the petrified students and teacher were back.

When it was nearing the end McGonagall stood from the head table. "I believe we have the house cup to present." The Ravenclaws gave a loud cheer. "With 290 points in fourth place Slytherin." Professor Slughorn looked thoroughly displeased with his house. "In third place with 320 points Gryffindor." The house looked more disappointed than Professor Vector, she seemed pleased they were not in last considering the Weasleys were in her house. "In second place with 340 points Hufflepuff." The Hufflepuffs cheered and Professor Sprout gave them a cheer. "And in first place and the winners of the House Cup with 355 points Ravenclaw!" The Ravenclaws gave a huge cheer and Professor Flitwick was the loudest of all, it was their first win years.

Harry waved to his friends as they took the last carriage down to the train at Hogsmeade station. Harry had elected to stay behind with his mum instead of riding the train back to London. He was eager to spend time with her after nearly losing her. Aurora stood next to him and placed an arm around his shoulders. "Come on let's go pack up my office and then go home."

 **A/N Not sure I'm happy with this chapter but here ya go. The next story will be somewhat full length about 15 chapters I have planned out. Now prayers for my Indians were losing right now.**

 **Enjoy** **AM**


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